Telang Usan rep hopes to see more rural land planted with rubber

Dennis debates the Bill 2022 at the State Legislative Assembly.

KUCHING (Feb 17): Dennis Ngau (GPS-Telang Usan) hopes the Sarawak Rubber Industry Board will be vested with the power to recommend to the state government approval of rural land for rubber planting.

“This would help the Land and Survey Department Sarawak in the process of helping our citizens to have land for rubber planting, especially in the Ulu areas,” said Dennis when debating the Sarawak Rubber Industry Board Bill 2022 at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) yesterday.

He also hopes a committee will be established under the Board to manage the rubber scheme projects already implemented at various longhouses in the Baram region, covering 3,500 hectares and set to benefit at least 7,160 people from 1,790 families.

The longhouses that have participated in the rubber scheme projects are Long Laput, Uma Bawang, Long Banga, Long Peluan, Long Pilah, Long Bedian, Long Semiyang, Long Selaan, Long Win, Daleh Long Pelutan, Lio Mato, Long Tungan, Long Palong, Long Beruang, Long Puak Ulu Baram, Long Panai, Long Silat and Long Jeeh.

Dennis said the state government had spent over RM47 million on the rubber planting scheme since 2009 and it was expected that the trees could be tapped from five years onwards, with potential economic returns to participating families of not less than RM2,000.

“But his has not been the case due to multiple reasons. Therefore, it is opportune with the setting up of this dedicated Rubber Board to revisit the strategy and make the project work as expected.”

Dennis said the projects were currently being monitored by personnel from Agriculture Department.

Nonetheless, Dennis said the setting up of the Sarawak Rubber Industry Board as a statutory body to manage and regulate affairs related to the rubber industry was timely and crucial.

With the increased demand for non-artificial rubber supply worldwide, he believes it is incumbent upon the state government to set up a dedicated body focusing on the crop and explore the plant’s economic potentials.

“The Ordinance is well-researched, comprehensive and far-reaching. Therefore, we must support the setting up of the Board to ensure Sarawak remain top producer of genuine rubber for use in parts and components of products by world producers.”

Supported by well-regulated up and downstream activities, Dennis said the state’s comprehensive strategies would turn Sarawak’s brand of rubber into a premium product for the global market.

Moreover, he said rubber is one of the most suitable crops to be planted in the state due to favourable climate and it requires very minimum care.

“This is great for our very rural communities who could be encouraged to cultivate their ancestral land with rubber, with new breed that would grow faster. It was proven as such with previous rubber planting in Sarawak.”

In view of the recent State Constitution amendment, including changing the title of ‘Chief Minister’ to ‘Premier’, Dennis hopes the federal government will approve more funds for the development of the state, particularly the agriculture sector.

Meanwhile, Lidam Assan (GPS-Katibas) said there was an increasing demand for rubber in China, supported by the automobile industry and health-related products.

“The rubber industry has experienced the ups and downs due to some exogenous shocks, alternatives, substitutes or lack of effective strategies in marketing and promotion. Despite that, there is still big demand for rubber. Malaysian Rubber Council in 2020 reported total export of about RM41 billion,” he said when debating the Bill.

Lidam added there would be a wider range of additional value for rubber products with the advent of processing technology for upstream and downstream activities.

He hoped the Board will be able to regulate and control over the industry to ensure it would become a new source of income for rubber producers as well as for the state to achieve a high-income status by 2030.

“The success of this industry is something within our reach; our planters have some knowledge and are familiar with rubber production while it can be planted and grow well on our fertile soils. We have vast idle native customary rights (NCR) land which is available for this industry,” said Lidam.

from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3rWA0di
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