'Raw deal for Sabah rubber smallholders'

Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Rubber Smallholders Association (PPKGS) has appealed to the Government to establish a panel to determine rubber prices to ensure fair prices for all quarters.

Its President Chua Men Nam proposed the panel comprise officials from the Sabah Industry Rubber Board (LIGS), Malaysia Rubber Board (LGM), Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry and from the association itself.

"One of the main objectives for setting up the PPKGS is to defend the rights of the rubber smallholders, especially in matters pertaining to their socio-economic standards.

"The association is playing a proactive role to create a win-win situation especially for rubber smallholders.

"One of the issues we would like to dwell on is the huge difference in the prices between SMR 20 and the rubber sheet (raw material). And the worrying part is that the gap is growing.

"Nowadays, the price difference between the SMR 20 and the raw material has reached RM5 which is higher than in 2003 when it was RM2 to RM2.50 only," he said.

According to Chua, the price of rubber sheets bought from smallholders now is RM5.20 while the price for SMR 20 is RM10 and the price difference is RM5 while in 2003, SMR 20 was priced at RM4.60 and the rubber sheet went for RM2.10.

In the event, he said they felt rubber smallholders have the right to claim for compensation for having endured the price difference for the past five years (2003 to 2008).

Chua voiced this out at the launching of PPKGS' Annual General Meeting II at the Tun Fuad Stephens hall in Penampang here on Tuesday.

New LIGS Chairman Datuk Zakaria Mohd Edris represented Deputy Chief Minister cum Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, Datuk Yahya Hussin and simultaneously launched the association's website at www.sabahrubbersmallholders.org.

Among those present were LIGS Deputy General Manager Benson Liew, PPKGS Honorary Adviser Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, PPKGS Adviser 1 Francis Ariffin and other officials.

Chua also requested that the Government consider reviving the assistance scheme for planting rubber individually.

In response, Zakaria assured that all issues brought up by Chua would be discussed and looked into at the LIGS' next meeting.

He also called on other rubber smallholders and local communities who have idle land to planting rubber trees on such land.

Zakaria also expressed hope that PPKGS would not be used by certain quarters for self-interest and reminded the association to achieve their main objective of assisting and developing rubber smallholders to be successful.