Oil palm plantation and rubber estate workers gathered at the Parliament of Malaysia protested against the statement of Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Bernard Dompok’s that the workers were above the poverty line. The statement would provide a reason for depriving access to government allocated benefits to plantation workers. Dompok said the net income of an oil palm harvester was about RM 1,700 and a rubber tapper earned around RM 870, which were far higher than the rural poverty line of RM 720 a month. However, the immediate study conducted by workers showed that the average wage of these labourers is lower than RM 700. The workers demanded that the minister visit the estates and to gather evidence of their wealth and the availability of the said facilities. Read more here.
Oil palm plantation and rubber estate workers gathered at the Parliament of Malaysia protested against the statement of Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Bernard Dompok’s that the workers were above the poverty line. The statement would provide a reason for depriving access to government allocated benefits to plantation workers. Dompok said the net income of an oil palm harvester was about RM 1,700 and a rubber tapper earned around RM 870, which were far higher than the rural poverty line of RM 720 a month. However, the immediate study conducted by workers showed that the average wage of these labourers is lower than RM 700. The workers demanded that the minister visit the estates and to gather evidence of their wealth and the availability of the said facilities. Read more here.
