Get into entrepreneurship, Nanta tells rubber smallholders
SONG: Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi made his point when he urged rubber smallholders to get involved in entrepreneurship activities. He said this was one way to ensure they had stable income especially when commodities like rubber were facing price uncertainties. “At the same time, they can earn side income by engaging in entrepreneurship,” he said when officiating at the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) ‘Love the Small holders’ programme held at Rumah Cecelia Bunsu Sebat in Nanga Kebiau here on Sunday. One smallholder worth emulating was Mengga Langkau who proved that he made the right move when he initiated his own fish pond in 1984. Mengga received the ‘Best Risda Sibu Guided Entrepreneur 2017’ acknowledgement certificate presented by Nanta at the function. The 63-year-old proud entrepreneur from Rumah Edison Bugap at Nanga Melekun in Kapit is now enjoying the fruit of his labour. As a result of his years of hard work, Mengga managed to build a comfortable home for his family and send three of his children for tertiary education. Without disclosing his monthly income, he said he also owned five houses in Kapit town which he rented out.
Mengga said that he joined Risda rubber replanting scheme last year by cultivating the cash crop on two acres of land near his fish ponds where he reared catfish, ‘baung’ and red tilapia.
Under the rubber replanting scheme, Risda gives the recipients a subsidy of RM13,500 per hectare of land.
“Not only that, Risda also had supplied three fish tanks and one oxygen tank for my fish rearing purpose under its Supplementary Economic and Entrepreneurship Activities (AET),” he said.
Meanwhile, Nanta disclosed that his ministry had allocated a sum of RM41.2 million to 13,182 rubber smallholders in Sarawak for rubber replanting programme this year. He said the amount was to cover 1,802 hectares of land for the current replanting programme and 23,843 hectares for the extended rubber replanting programme.
On AET for smallholders, he said Risda Sarawak was allocated RM1.2 million this year, and Risda Sibu had produced 47 entrepreneurs including those from Kapit under this programme.
Among those present were Risda Sarawak director Zulkefli Zaini, deputy Kapit Resident Galong Luang and Song district officer Jackline August.