KUALA LUMPUR: The Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) needs to explore new programmes to increase the income of smallholders, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said RISDA should take new steps to bring about reforms and not rely solely on the rubber sector.
“The problem is when the price of the commodity fluctuates, according to the demand of the international market, we have to compete with artificial rubber or synthetic rubber.
“This is the most bitter challenge facing us to an extent that the government has to increase the ceiling price but the increase still cannot resolve the problems facing the smallholders,“ he said when officiating the Excellent Student Appreciation Ceremony of RISDA Rakyat Tuition Programme Year 2023 here today.
A total of 640 students who attended the tuition programme under KKDW achieved excellent results in the 2023 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
Also present were RISDA chairman Manndzri Nasib and the new Ministry of Rural and Regional Development secretary-general Datuk Mohd Khair Razman Mohamed.
Ahmad Zahid, also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said he hoped to see changes in RISDA under the new leadership.
He gave one year for the top management in RISDA to bring out changes, not only in terms of profit but also in terms of benefits for the smallholders.
“I also want the subsidiary companies to continue to contribute to RISDA and RISDA to contribute to them. It is not impossible that something new can be done. Don’t use the conventional approach, the old way should be changed.
“The use of technology must be introduced, not only in tapping the rubber trees but also in processing the latex, we need a game changer,“ he said and instructed Mohd Khair Razman to discuss with the management of RISDA regarding the direction of new changes by the agency.
“We must cooperate with other ministries including the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities, in terms of production of downstream products where we are heavily dependent on the sale of unprocessed materials.
“For example, we have to import more than RM6 billion in unprocessed rubber from a neighbouring country even though we are a rubber producer,“ he said.
