The federal government is to talk with the managements of plantations of government-linked companies (GLCs) on the best

way to review the wages of plantation workers in view of the better prices fetched by commodities now, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

He said the matter was agreed to at the meeting of the cabinet last week, and would be expedited.

"The prices of commodities such as palm oil are good now and, as such, the plantation workers should get better remuneration," he said during a walkabout in Pusa, Sarawak.

NONE Muhyiddin ( left ) said the wages of plantation workers in the country were still low compared to the poverty line, and because of this the plantations were unable to attract local people as workers.

He reiterated that the federal government had set up a national wage consultation council under the Human Resources Ministry to look into the question of salaries in various sectors.

On another matter, Muhyiddin said that under the National Key Results Area (NKRA), the people of Sarawak would continue to enjoy federal government attention in the development of basic infrastructure and raising the income of the rural people.

He said that under the first rolling plan of the 10th Malaysia Plan, RM83.05 million had been allocated by the federal government to upgrade facilities such as village roads and water and electricity supply in the rural areas of Sarawak.

Muhyiddin, who is BN deputy chairperson, said the good relationship between the federal and state governments had facilitated efforts to provide assistance to the people of Sarawak who still needed much aid and support from the government.

He reminded the people of Sarawak, especially Muslims, to reject the politics of PAS which wanted to extend its influence to the state.

"I fear that PAS's entry into Sarawak will result in disunity among the Muslims here. In Kelantan, where PAS has administered for 20 years, the poverty rate is at its worst," he said.

- Bernama