ALOR SETAR: The Rubber Tappers and Management Association of Kedah (Pergetah) chairman Mohd Taufik Yaacob has proposed that the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) set up a special mini counter in each district so that smallholders can easily deal with the board.
Its chairman Mohd Taufik Yaacob said so far only the LGM office in Sungai Petani operates as a reference point for smallholders and tappers not only from the state but also Perlis, Perak and Penang.
“I have proposed at the meeting of the District Development Action Committee that a special mini counter of MRB be set up at every district so that issues related to rubber smallholders can be addressed.
“Today, only the Rubber Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) exists in every area, but the MRB is only available in Sungai Petani. Why is it so? It is irrelevant,” he said when contacted by Bernama here yesterday.
Mohd Taufik said that in the 2019 Budget, the government allocated RM50 million as a Rubber Production Incentive (IPG) for smallholders, but only 30 percent of those in the state made the incentive claim.
“This is also one of the reasons why there is a need for a special mini counter so that the rubber tappers are made to understand and given the right information on the incentive claim and other assistance provided by the government,” he said. – Bernama
Commenting on the announcement made by Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah regarding the floor price of rubber set at RM2.50 per kg recently, Mohd Taufik said it was a news long awaited by the smallholders.
“It’s a timely move since the price of rubber had gone down to RM1.90 per kg of late and this cannot cater to the high cost of living, especially in accommodating the schooling needs of rubber tappers’ children,” he said.
It is estimated that more than 40,000 tappers and smallholders in Kedah are registered with LGM so far.-Bernama
