Latest news with #PlantationsandCommoditiesMinistry
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Johari: Ministry must ensure quality of life at Madani adopted villages enhanced
BATU PAHAT: The Plantations and Commodities Ministry wants the Madani Adopted Villages under its supervision to focus on improving the socioeconomic status and opportunities for the local community. Its minister, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, said the programme can have a huge impact and enhance the quality of life for the community. He said the programme, introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for every ministry to "adopt" villages, was an important one. "The importance of this programme is that it allows us to identify any overlooked issues. We at (the Plantations and Commodities Ministry) specifically chose Batu Pahat because there are many commodity-related activities such as oil palm, rubber and cocoa. "So, of course we took the opportunity to see how we could go down to the ground and understand the needs of the people here. "The allocation for the programme is RM2.5 million, involving the repair and refurbishment of suraus, community halls, and so on. "With this allocation, various projects are being implemented, including upgrading educational facilities, places of worship and sports courts." Johari said this to reporters after a handing-over ceremony for the Madani Adopted Village project by the ministry at the Taman Melodi multipurpose hall in Kampung Parit Bilal. Kampung Parit Bilal and Kampung Parit Amat were the first adopted villages under the ministry. Johari said the concept of the Madani Adopted Village programme was that every leader heading a ministry must be in tune with the heartbeat of the people, not only within their own constituencies but also in relation to issues arising in other areas. He said the initiative has greatly benefited various levels of the village community, as it also involves strategic collaboration between the ministry and its agencies, the state development offices, village development and security committees and community leaders. "The ministry and I are truly honoured to be given the opportunity to take part in this programme in support of the government's aspirations. "If entrusted with responsibility, whether as a council member or community leader, one must be willing to go to the ground," he said.
The Star
27-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
Gas tech stretches tappers' yield
Better results: Saad Abdul Razak, 76, showing the yield difference between a regular latex cup and the three-litre cup, with almost 2kg of coagulated latex collected after using the patented gassing technology. — Photo courtesy of Felda SIK: Felda settler Suziah Abu Hassan could hardly believe her latest income statement. In March last year, her monthly net income for that month was RM114.43 from the latex yield of the 2.7ha rubber estate she and her mother inherited from her late father. Last month, her income statement from Felda showed that she pocketed RM4,344.99 as net income. This year-on-year March comparison means the net income for her and her mother increased by a whopping 3,697.07%. 'Never in our lives, not even in my father's time, have we seen our trees produce so much latex. 'We are glad to have accepted Felda's latest agri-tech. 'Both mum and I are smiling every day,' she said. Suziah, 51, was referring to a rubber tree stimulation technology that Felda, the Plantations and Commodities Ministry and the Malaysian Rubber Board, brought in after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced a RM10mil allocation for a pilot project using this technology under Budget 2024. The trees are stimulated with ethylene gas and, according to scientific literature, the effects of this gas on rubber trees was discovered in the 1960s. The issue was always dosage control. Rubber trees can shrivel up or have their tree bark burst open when the dosage is uncontrolled. The new technology, developed in Malaysia and patented in all rubber-producing Asean countries, provides a foolproof system to supply the right amount of gas to rubber trees without adverse effects. 'The cup we tie around our trees to collect latex usually holds 400ml to a litre. 'With the technology, we tie three-litre cups (the volume of two large soft drink bottles) to our trees. 'Just looking at the giant cups at the start, it was unbelievable,' Suziah said. She said when it was first introduced to her settlement in Teloi Timur near here, most of the settlers refused to adopt it. 'But Felda held so many workshops to explain the technology to us and did extensive demo trials on trees in their own plots. 'I saw with my own eyes that the trees were still healthy and producing,' she said. Other settlers have been watching Suziah. She said they have been urging her to push Felda to quickly supply everyone's plots with the gassing tech. Felda's Kedah and Perlis regional director Abdul Rahman Ahmad said the pilot project would see 368,000 rubber trees be treated in stages. He said the old method was to tap the trees every day but with this gassing tech, tapping is done only once every three days. 'When we tap every day, the latex will drip for only three to four hours, and only 80g to 100g of latex can be collected as coagulated cup lumps daily. 'With this gassing tech, the latex drips for about 48 hours and the cup lump is 1.5kg to 2kg each,' he said. On average, Abdul Rahman said latex yield increased by about 600% per tree. 'When the trees produce so much, they need much more fertiliser. 'The standard is to apply fertiliser twice a year. 'With this tech, we have to apply a total of five times a year. 'Though the costs increase, the yield goes up by so much more,' he said. Abdul Rahman also said Felda would continue with the pilot project while discussing with the government for funds to roll out the technology to Felda rubber estates nationwide.
