The influx of foreign workers in the plantation industry: A case study of the impact on the second generation of felda settlers

• Main Authors: Yahaya, Ibrahim, Wan Abd Aziz, Wan Mohd Amin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: HD Industries. Land use. Labor
• Online Access: http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/5459/1/FH02-FSSG-16-06570.pdf; http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/5459/

Issues related to foreign workers are very commonly reported in today’s media. Every year, the influx of foreign workers into Malaysia showed an increase and the number has gone out of control. The country is flooded with foreign workers who are involved in various sectors including the plantation sector. In Malaysia, the largest plantation operator is Felda. The flooding of foreign workers in the plantation sector has a wide impact on the second generation of FELDA. Thus, this study aims to identify the impacts of this phenomenon to the well-being of the second generation of FELDA and to develop an integrated impact model of the influx of migrant workers on the second generation of FELDA and to analyse their awareness about the policy of foreign workers intake in the plantation sector in Malaysia. The opinions and views regarding the impact of the influx of foreign workers had been obtained from focus group interviews that had been identified to provide a clearer view on the current state of the influx of foreign workers in the Felda's plantation sector in Malaysia. The study had taken the qualitative methods. A simple random selection of participants was chosen from second generation of FELDA. A qualitative research using focused interview approach involving 30 participants was done within the study area. A focused interview technique had been chosen for the purpose of gaining data at its basic and as clear since it was to be derived from the second generation of Felda themselves. During the process of the interview, the researcher asked a few questions related to the topic of study and all the answers given by the participants were recorded and kept as primary data. The data of this study were then analysed using the ATLAS to software. Apart from that, the participants were also asked a few questions about their perception regarding the current government policy with regards to the flooding of foreign workers. The findings show that there are seven impacts from this phenomenon that is affecting the second generation of FELDA; economic, hygiene, skills, safety, health, communication and social.