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PETALING JAYA: Workers and their families living in smaller, private plantations can benefit if representative committees are formed for them, Perak State Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri S.K. Devamany said.
He said that in the past, estate workers had missed out on millions of ringgit worth of infrastructure and development as their communities did not have the status of villages.
Devamany, a former MIC vice-president, suggested that representative committees, similar to those formed for villagers and urban folk, be set up for the benefit of such workers.
It was announced earlier this week that Residents’ Representative Committees for urban areas will debut in May. Members of the committee will be appointed by the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry and will be set up at the city council, municipality and district council levels.
This is an extension of the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) set up at villages.
New Village and JKKK chairmen attend monthly meetings chaired by the district officer.
Devamany, who is also a former Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said the workers could benefit from programmes such as human development, skills training for youths and aid for single mothers.
He said the National Union of Plantation Workers represented the workers but it could only liaise with the management.
“The Government could not intervene on private land, which is why it did not introduce JKKKs in the estates,” he pointed out.
Source: The Star Online
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