Meneroka Refleksi Simpati Rasional Orang Tengah dalam Rantaian Pengeluaran Kelapa Sawit Pekebun Kecil (Exploring the Reflection of Rational Sympathy of Middlemen within the Palm Oil Smallholders’ Supply Chain)

Abstract

Kajian ini bertujuan menilai peranan orang tengah dalam pasaran hasil pertanian berdasarkan Teori Sentimen Moral.  Penjelasan tersebut memberi refleksi sejauhmana aktiviti Peniaga Buah Sawit (FD) mengandungi elemen etika iaitu simpati rasional dan kepemurahan seperti dikemukakan oleh Teori Sentimen Moral Smith.  Kajian ini memberi tumpuan kepada konteks FD di Malaysia. Kajian menggunakan metod temubual mendalam dengan empat orang peniaga buah sawit di Sabak Bernam, Selangor, Malaysia. Penemuan menunjukkan peranan FD telah memberi refleksi kepada simpati rasional dan kepemurahan dalam skop Teori Sentimen Moral.  Pelaksanaan sentimen moral dikesan pada dua aspek, iaitu komersil dan sosial.  Simpati rasional diterjemahkan dalam bentuk perkhidmatan berasaskan teras komersil tulen seperti belian buah sawit mentah, khidmat pengurusan kebun, jualan keperluan pertanian  dan pengangkutan.  Meskipun perkhidmatan tersebut dikenakan caj tertentu, pekebun telah memperolehi manfaat daripada penawaran perkhidmatan tersebut.  Di samping itu, pekebun turut memperolehi faedah perolehan kredit kewangan dan keperluan pertanian dengan mudah dan ini menggambarkan elemen kepemurahan orang tengah yang sanggup mengenepikan peluang mengaut untung tambahan.  Walaupun bayaran balik kredit tersebut dipotong daripada hasil jualan buah sawit, pekebun masih memperolehi faedah kerana kredit diperolehi tanpa perlunya cagaran, pematuhan prosedur permohonan pinjaman yang ketat, caj kewangan dan aturan bayar balik yang fleksibel.  Oleh itu aktiviti orang tengah selari dengan sentimen moral dan menandakan elemen etika wujud dalam operasi FD kelapa sawit bagi konteks kajian.  Implikasi polisi turut dikemukakan iaitu meningkatkan bilangan FD di pasaran dan koloborasi maklumat serta tindakan antara FD-Malayasian Palm Oil Board. 

Kata kunci: Orang tengah; pekebun kecil; kepemurahan; simpati; sentimen moral

Abstract

The middlemen remain as an essential element in the value chain of agricultural produce.  This study aims to examine the middlemen roles in agriculture produce market based on the Theory of Moral Sentiment.  The explanation reflects the implementation of rational sympathy and benevolence of middlemen actions according to Moral Sentiment Theory argument.  This study emphasizes the context of palm fruit middlemen (FD) in Malaysia.  This study employs in-depth interview with four palm fruit dealers in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, Malaysia.  The finding indicates that the middlemens’ roles have reflected the rational sympathize and benevolence as in the Moral Sentiment Theory.  Execution of moral sentiment is found in two aspects, namely the commercial and social aspects.  The rational sympathy is translated in the form of pure commercial services such as purchase of raw produces, farm management, selling of farm necessities and transportation.  Although they are paid services, the small holders gain advantages from such services.  On the other hand, the middlemen also obtain cash advance and farm items credit which reflects FD benevolence to willingly forgo potential of extra profit.   Although repayment of credits is deductable from the selling proceeds, small palm holders still gain benefits from the service as it was provided without the need of collateral, compliance of rigid loan application procedures, finance charges and with flexible payback arrangement.  Therefore, middlemen activities are in line with the moral sentiment and has explicitly underlies the particular FD context. Policy implications have been proposed such as increasing the numbers of FD in the market and colloboration of information and actions between FD-MPOB.

Keywords: middlemen; small holder; benevolence; sympathy; moral sentiment