ALOR SETAR: The federal government will stand to benefit from legalising ketum export by imposing export duty on the plant due to high demand from a neighbouring country.
Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said ketum export could be developed into a lucrative industry.
"There is high demand in Thailand for ketum from Kedah, which can fetch to as high as RM150 per kg as compared to just RM30 per kg in the local market here.
"Thailand has technology to extract ketum into various health products and ketum planted in Kedah is of high grade as compared to the ketum planted in the neighbouring country.
"So, by legalising its export, ketum can be developed into a lucrative industry in Kedah," he told a press conference after chairing the weekly state executive council meeting here today.
Sanusi said Kedah was prepared to become a legal hub for ketum commodity.
"The state government is ready to appoint any state agency either Kedah Agro, Perbadanan Kemajuan Pertanian Negeri Kedah (PKNK) and Kumpulan Ladang-Ladang Perbadanan Kedah Sdn Bhd (KLPK) to act as an agent to collect all the ketum crop and become the legal sole exporter. The government can collect duty from the trade," he said.
While acknowledging that his proposal would stir up controversies, Sanusi stressed that the move would also spare the government resources in combatting the illegal export of ketum to Thailand.
"I wish to make it very clear that I am not high on ketum when I am saying this. I have been informed that our law enforcement agencies have been working hard to combat the illegal export of ketum and I have high respect on them.
"We are spending a lot of resources to combat ketum smuggling (to neighbouring country) but I am asking: what if we legalise the activity and the government benefits from it by imposing export duty?
"I am informed by law enforcement agencies such as the police, Customs Department and the army that they were working hard to combat ketum smuggling at our border and Langkawi waters because it is banned from export under the Poison Act; but at the same time it is not illegal to plant ketum.
"I hope the law enforcement will discuss this proposal and if it has to be presented to Parliament, then we should do that. If it just involves administrative matters, we can do that any time."
Sanusi, however said there should be proper regulations before allowing the export of ketum.
"I hope the federal government will pay serious attention to the proposal and view it in a good faith.
"Ketum is planted extensively in Kedah, so it is better if we allow its export. We have ketum trees, we can plant them, but we can't process them although ketum has medical value.
"But we don't condone the abuse of ketum by mixing it with banned substances," he said.