Rubber board urged to establish more mini counters to facilitate smallholders

ALOR SETAR: The Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM) has been urged to open more mini counters in each district to facilitate rubber smallholders in their dealing with the agency.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah said it would help facilitate the majority of rubber smallholders who had yet to claim Rubber Production Incentive (IPG) worth RM50 million allocated by the government.

By citing Kedah as an example, he said without the mini counter established in each district across the state, smallholders had to travel to LGM office in Sungai Petani where some of them felt it was not worthwhile to do so.

“Hence, we suggest that this mini counter to be established in every district because when we increase rubber floor pricing from RM2.20 to RM2.50 since January this year, many will file claim for IPG.

“Previously, they did not tap rubber due to the low price and it is not worthwhile to travel so far to make the claims,” he told reporters after officiating the Sekolah Kebangsaan Alor Janggus Parent-Teacher Association meeting here yesterday.

Amiruddin said the mini counter would also serve as an information centre for rubber smallholders to obtain the latest rubber-related information and government-related policies.

In the 2019 Budget tabled in November last year, the government announced an IPG allocation of RM50 million to help mitigate the impact of falling rubber prices on smallholders. Bernama