KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 — Approximately 331,146 rubber smallholders registered with the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) are expected to receive the benefits of the Monsoon Season Assistance (BMT) this year.
Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister Datuk Rubiah Wang said it involved 51,433 participants in Sarawak, Kelantan (42,978), Kedah (39,604), Pahang (24,237), Perak (19,485), Negeri Sembilan (18,021), Johor (11,913), Terengganu (11,669), Sabah (6,309), and Melaka (4,659).
In addition, there are 1,616 participants in Selangor, Penang (563), Perlis (552), the Sabah Rubber Industry Board (86,323), and the Federal Land Development Authority (11,784).
“The BMT data is updated from June to September every year to ensure that the list is up to date,” she said during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Rubiah was responding to Kuala Kurau MP Kamal Ashaari's query on the efforts made by the smallholder whitewashing process carried out through Risda to ensure that no target group is left out from receiving the BMT.
Meanwhile, the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW), via Risda, is taking steps to ensure that rubber remains a commodity crop in the country even though the number of rubber farmers is decreasing.
"KKDW together with the Ministry of Plantations and Commodities will ensure that rubber production increases from time to time, as KKDW provides incentives to smallholders, especially in ensuring that rubber is not only sold in the form of scrap as we have now increased the sale of latex," she said.
— Bernama
