Emulate Bernas, share profits with rubber tappers, Top Glove urged

 

PARLIAMENT | Rubber glove manufacturer Top Glove has been urged to emulate Padibernas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) in sharing profits with rubber tappers, similar to what the latter has agreed to contribute to rice farmers.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat today, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN - Kubang Kerian) said Top Glove, which has raked millions of ringgit in profit by supplying gloves worldwide during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, must offer a helping hand to rubber tappers to alleviate their woes.

“Rubber tappers face various hardships, including unstable and unsustainable rubber costs,” the PAS deputy president said when debating the Budget 2023.

Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man

Although the government had decided to increase the activation pricing level for the Rubber Production Incentive from RM2.50 to RM2.70 per kg, he said the move was unhelpful as rubber tappers nationwide were facing dire problems.

"Before this, it was with banana growers who were plagued with a disease that had attacked their crops.

“However, until now, the government does not have a solution to help them. And now there’s a threat of disease on rubber trees.

“Can the government identify what’s the size of lands for rubber plantations that are infected by the disease, and come up with a solution?”

In re-tabling Budget 2023, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Bernas has agreed to share profits from rice imports by contributing 30 percent of its nett profit to rice farmers.

Anwar, who is also finance minister, said this was in addition to the RM60 million contribution that Bernas would continue to provide. - Mkini