ALOR STAR: The rubber smallholders and rubber tappers in the country will enjoy higher income from three new initiatives introduced by the government to improve the commodity industry.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when making the announcement said a total of RM200 million has been allocated for the initiatives, which will include new tapping methods and tree cloning to produce better latex.
"The initiative also includes upgrading existing infrastructure that can help smallholders shift from producing cup lump rubber to latex which can contribute to better income.
"The Malaysian Rubber Board is also introducing the 1Malaysia rubber clone that can produce more rubber than other types of clones," he said in his speech before presenting RM200 in monthly aid for rainy season to 500 smallholders and rubber tappers today.
To further improve the industry, Najib said the government is also proposing to use rubber in road construction in the country.
"Although the use of rubber will increase the road construction cost by 15 per cent but in the long run it can reduce road maintenance cost," he said.
On a similar note Najib said the government has allocated a total of RM300 million for the Rainy Season Aid that benefit more 500,000 smallholders and rubber tappers in the country.
He said in Kedah alone 75,000 people will receive a total of RM45 million of the aid.
"If we include the RM600 million 1Malaysia People's Aid and other types of aid provided by the government, the people here received more than RM1 billion in allocations from the government.
"So if there are people who question about why the government imposed GST, they should know that what we collect we give it back to the people through such aid," he said.