Export value of rubber gloves up 26% in Q1

TELUK INTAN: The export value of rubber gloves in the first quarter of this year increased almost 26% to RM4.026bil from RM3.204bil in the same period last year.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Mah Siew Keong said Malaysia’s dominated the rubber glove exports for the past two decades, commanding more than 60% of the world’s market.

He said Malaysian rubber gloves were currently exported to 195 countries with the export value increasing threefold from RM5.4bil in 2000 to RM18.2bil in 2016.

Of the total exports last year, he said 73% or RM13.3bil were contributed by medical rubber gloves.

In the 2012-2016 period, the exports of medical gloves increased at an average rate of six per cent per year and the export value could reach RM14.1bil this year, he told a press conference after launching the “1 Million Medical Rubber Gloves Contribution” programme organised by the Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council (MREPC) in collaboration with the Perak Health Department at the Leaning Tower Square here yesterday.

At the event, Mah handed over a mock cheque for one million rubber gloves to Perak Health director Datuk Dr Hassan Merican.

MREPC chairman Ahmad Lai Bujang and MREPC CEO Low Yoke Kiew witnessed the ceremony.

Mah, who is also Member of Parliament for Teluk Intan said the one million rubber gloves would be distributed to hospitals, health clinics, dental clinics and healthcare centres in Perak.

The contribution of rubber gloves was the second outreach programme held by the MREPC after Kuching, Sarawak last year in the quest to raise awareness on the importance of the use of gloves in the society, especially among healthcare employees.