KUCHING, January 7- Sarawak will simplify the process of hiring oil palm plantation workers from Indonesia.

Minister of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development of Sarawak, Datuk Seri Stephen Rundi Utom said, his party will speed up the entry of foreign workers to 45 days at the latest, like in the peninsula, after looking at the overly complicated bureaucratic process

"We will try when the system is ready, maybe we can start implementing it in January or February to see what we can do," he said.

Stephen explained that it is to support 85 palm oil plantation operations owned by Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra).

He also said that there are some cases of delayed recruitment, for up to two years, and it is detrimental to the plantation industry.

the minister said this in a press conference in Kuching, after returning from a five-day working visit to Indonesia.

At the same conference, he said a total of 65 workers from Indonesia who had just arrived were celebrated in a ceremony and another 302 workers will arrive at the beginning of next month.