Malaysia’s Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry has allocated a total of RM261 million in special aid to help some 440,000 rubber smallholders nationwide during the rainy season. A total of 17,163 smallholders have applied for the special aid through the Malaysian Rubber Board, according to Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong, the country’s Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities.
The aid called “Bantuan Musim Tengkujuh” or BMT was announced on September 1, and each rubber smallholder will receive RM200 per month from November to January next year.
“The highest number of applicants are from Kelantan, followed by Kedah, Pahang and Perak,” Mah said adding two mobile apps, LGM BMT and eBantuan, have also been introduced to make it easier for the smallholders to apply the aid.
“Rubber smallholders can also apply for the financial assistance manually by filling up a form at the board office,” he said after attending the ministry’s monthly gathering.
The board will take about two weeks to process the applications and the aid will be credited directly to the accounts of the smallholders who are registered with the Malaysian Rubber Board.
Mah reiterated the rubber industry remains a key sector in the country and the government is committed to keep it that way through replanting and programmes and research and development efforts.
To assert this Mah said some 37,000 hectares of land has been replanted with rubber in the first six months this year and that RM22 million have been approved by the cabinet for the same purpose last month.