SERDANG: Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu has expressed concern over the dominance of foreign labourers in the national agriculture sector.
He said some Malaysians have chosen to rent out their business licences to foreigners, which has led to a monopoly by the group in the sector.
He said this practice must be stopped to ensure that the agriculture sector is controlled by Malaysian entrepreneurs and workers.
The minister said 'Ali Baba' (rent-seeking) practices are still prevalent among many.
"The licence belongs to Ali (Bumiputera) but the ones doing it are Baba (foreigners). Take for example padi fields, we have to seriously look at why those in Sekinchan, Selangor can make it work.
"When our people work, they often lose focus. But when others do it, they can maintain their focus all the way,
"We don't want a repeat of past incidences. In the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s, the Ali among the Bumiputera have the licences and are presented the opportunity (to do business), become chairmen and more.
"However, the ones doing the work are the Baba.
"From the year 2000 onwards, Ali hasn't changed. Ali still gets the opportunities, the licences, become chairman, but the ones doing the work are the Bangladeshi," he said.
Mohamad was speaking to reporters after officiating the Agro MADANI 2024 Convention at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) here today.
Berita Harian had previously reported that the supply chain of vegetable products were being dominated by foreigners, who have begun establishing illegal farms.
Foreigners, said the report, now have around 1,000 hectares of illegal vegetable farms.
The Federation of Malaysian Vegetable Farmers claimed that its checks showed that such activities became rampant around five years ago.
Its chairman, Lim Ser Kwee, claimed that the foreigners, comprising Indonesians, Bangladeshi and the Rohingya, had established a supply chain from the farms, distribution as well as trading lots in major wholesale markets in the peninsula.