Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairperson Shahrir Abdul Samad has voiced support for a reported proposal to continue hiring migrant workers from Bangladesh at 313 settlements nationwide.

When met by reporters at a Felda settlers Hari Raya open house in Putrajaya, Shahrir said Felda, as a shareholder in Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV), supports any move to boost the company's efficiency and profit.

"We are supportive and we welcome the move. If there is anything that we can help, we will help.

"But the operations and responsibilities of FGV are separate from Felda," said Shahrir, adding that further questions should be directed to FGV's management.

He said this when asked for comments on news reports quoting FGV acting chairperson Sulaiman Mahbob as saying that Felda is suffering daily losses of up to RM2 million due to the ongoing raids on undocumented migrant workers.

Through the Immigration Department's re-hiring process, Sulaiman reportedly said that Felda is mulling hiring up to 8,000 new migrant workers, mostly from Bangladesh and primarily tasked to collect oil palm. 

Commenting further, Shahrir noted it has also been the government's policy to allow the hiring of migrant workers in certain sectors, including plantation.

"In terms of impact on the shortage of workers, it would not be so much to the nation's overall income.

"Any shortage and drop in income would be most felt by those directly involved, including the settlers, plantation workers and small companies," he said.

Bangladesh newspaper The Dhaka Tribune yesterday quoted additional secretary of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, Javed Ahmed, as saying that Malaysia is considering hiring some 22,000 of its citizens through a government-to-government arrangement.

The open house function, organised by NGO Gabungan Pemikir Profesional Felda (GAPROF), was also attended by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who earlier launched "Akar Kami" - a book on inspirational professional Felda settlers.

In his speech, Najib noted that the spillover effect of the land reform programme introduced by his father, Abdul Razak Hussein, has included the upward mobilisation of Felda settlers from the first to the current generation which included many professionals.

Book author and GAPROF cluster chief Prof Ibrahim Shaari later acknowledged the impact of migrant workers in Felda settlements but said that the issue should be seen from two perspectives.

"I agree that Felda settlers are affected by (shortage of) migrant workers. But I also said this is what happens when urbanisation has reached the rural areas," he said.

He further pointed out that a migration of second and third generation settlers is a sign of progress in their lives, a trend which is also seen in other developed countries.