KENINGAU: Sabah is in the process of enacting an ordinance that will allow authorities to take legal action against guarana promoters.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said currently the state Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry is only employing existing federal laws to combat the spread of guarana across the country.
"We can only stop these plants at entry points. Once it crosses our border, we have no jurisdiction.
"Unfortunately, when it comes to fraud, the law requires police reports to be lodged before the police can take action against the promoters. There have been no police reports lodged so far.
"It is also unknown whether these guarana plants are genuine as claimed by these promoters.
"However, we realise that this is most likely just a scam operation. Avoid them at all costs," he warned on the guarana plant issue in Sabah.
Kitingan reiterated that the government has repeatedly issued statements against the promotion and planting of the tree in Sabah.
"Guarana remains illegal and we have no plans to legalise it because of the harm it poses to our rubber industry.
"Look at Brazil. They no longer have a rubber industry. So, we have to choose between guarana and rubber," he said.
Kitingan said he was made aware of many individuals who were actively recruiting unsuspecting farmers in Keningau and Tambunan to attend guarana-related talk events.
"Interested participants were asked to pay fees to attend the 'business opportunity seminars'.
"I appeal to the people not to be duped by these guarana-planting schemes.
"There is a good chance that the people organising these guarana-related events are just collecting money from gullible people intending to fool them.
"You can go and listen, it is not against the law right now.
"However, do not plant this guarana because it will decimate our rubber industry.
"We don't know how guarana will benefit us, but we already know how it will destroy our agricultural industry, especially rubber," he said.