5 Mar 2025
Nearly a third of a million farmers to receive monsoon assistance
Kuala Lumpur – The number of rubber farmers in Malaysia is declining but action will guarantee the product’s status as a key commodity crop continues, says the government.
Rural and regional development deputy minister Datuk Rubiah Wang said steps would be taken via the country’s Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA).
In parliament, the minister said incentives would be provided by the rural and regional development (KKDW) and plantations and commodities ministries.
She was speaking in response to questions regarding payments of the country’s annual Monsoon Season Assistance (BMT) programme.
The minister said that more than 330,000 rubber industry smallholders registered with RISDA would benefit this year.
The largest numbers – 86,000-plus – are connected to the Sabah Rubber Industry Board, followed by more than 51,000 based in Sarawak state.
Other sizeable numbers by state include Kelantan (c43,000), Kedah (c39,600), Perak (c19,500) and Negeri Sembilan (18,000-plus).
Details of Hansard transcripts of the Malaysian house of representatives, the Dewan Rakyat, are available in Malay only.
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