Deputy Primary Industries Minister Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin has denied claims that his ministry has not done anything to help rubber tappers weather the drop in the price of the commodity.
"I think it is inaccurate to say (Primary Industries Minister) Teresa Kok and myself have not done anything because we all know that commodity prices are mostly controlled by the market.
"As announced in the Budget 2019, there are some good policies announced by the finance minister; among them is the old policy of providing financial aid when the price of rubber falls below RM2.20," he explained to Malaysiakini today when met at the PKR national congress in Shah Alam today.
On Thursday, political activist group Otai Reformis had called for Shamsul and Kok to be axed as they claimed that the two have not done anything to help rubber tappers.
"In the upcoming cabinet reshuffle, (we) suggest the prime minister change them for leaders who are more 'people-friendly', who can empathise with the hardship of these people who contribute to the national economy," said Otai Reformis committee member Abdul Razak Ismail (photo).
Shamsul said he and Kok have gone down to the ground to meet with various stakeholders since they assumed their positions in the ministry.
Another step he has also taken is to instruct the Rubber Board to smoothen the process of claiming for the Rubber Production Incentive (IPG), which is available to rubber tappers if the price of rubber falls below RM2.20.
On Wednesday, scrap rubber closed at RM1.84 per kg in the peninsula, RM1.68 in Sarawak, and RM1.54 in Sabah.
It was also reported earlier today that the government has agreed to consider raising the IPG payment to RM2.50 per kg from the current RM2.20 per kg. - Mkini
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