Probability influence factors of local youths in Malaysia to participate towards career in the oil palm plantation

Abstract

The plantation sector, especially the oil palm commodity, is currently the largest agricultural-based contributor to Malaysia economic projection involving both upstream and downstream activities. Due to the rapid expansion in this palm oil industry, there are high labour demands required in this sector. Since the fate of this sector is being put on a stake, recruiting foreign labours is the only way out from this dilemma. As a result, more than 78 % of labour [1] in this sector is mainly came from Indonesia, Bangladesh and the Philippines. Malaysia has become the main attention for the foreign labours to work in this country due to the wages being more competitive and generative working condition, especially in the plantation sector, provides the suitable accommodation compared to their origin country. The pressing issue now plantation and agriculture sectors too much dependence on foreign labour. As a result, all operation in this both sectors cannot be operated especially during covid 19. One of the best solutions is to hire the local youth to work in oil palm plantation and retain them to work in this sector. This study was done in order to analyse the pull or push factors in constructing a particular pattern of participation among the local's youth which by using Probit model which were working in oil palm plantation. A survey method through questionnaire was used to collect data from 942 of local youths between 16 years to 40 years old as focused respondents which were selected using random sampling method. The results showed the probability the local's youth to work in the plantation sector influence by demographic factors and job satisfaction. From this result can attract the local's youth which was not working in oil palm plantation to substitute foreign labour in plantation.