This morning I received a memorandum and draft legislation from a group of estate workers calling for mandatory housing for estate workers.
Housing schemes for estate workers have existed since the 1970s. Yet half a century later, many estate workers still cannot afford a home of their own. Their labour is relied upon to sustain a key sector of our economy, yet they continue to be denied basic necessities such as decent and secure housing. This is an issue that must not be ignored.
In the past, Sime Darby Plantation Bhd had previously allocated 4.04 hectares of land to construct more than 100 medium-cost houses for the company’s plantation employees. This initiative, under the Skim Khas Pembiayaan Rumah Pekerja Estet (SKRE), was meant to provide estate workers with the opportunity to become homeowners.
Regrettably, this initiative has yet to materialise. We must have detailed answers on what steps have been taken to make this a reality.
The government has in the past allocated approximately RM50 million to assist in home ownership for estate workers. Some RM35 million was unused and kept at Bank Simpanan Nasional. While I helmed the Ministry of Human Resources, the ministry was making arrangements for these funds to be used and more funds to be granted for this purpose on a grant basis.
With such resources already committed, there should not be further delay.
At the same time, the proposal for mandatory housing for estate workers merits serious and urgent consideration. The Sime Darby model provides an example on how this may be done. Adequate housing is not a luxury, it is a basic human right and a foundation for dignity, security, and wellbeing. No one should be denied this right, least of all those who toil under harsh conditions to keep our plantations and agricultural industries running.
The government, policymakers and industry stakeholders must come together to ensure that estate workers are not left behind.
M. Kula Segaran
MP for Ipoh Barat
13 August 2025
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