Rubber smallholders in Sabah to receive RM600 each

The Finance Ministry will disburse RM42 million to 70,000 rubber plantation smallholders in Sabah following an appeal by the Sabah Rubber Industry Board (SRIB).

According to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, this was for rubber smallholders missed out on the RM600 Monsoon Season Aid for November 2018 until January 2018.

Lim explained that some 6,000 smallholders in Sabah who had plantations that were 2.5 hectares and below, had benefited from the earlier payout.

"However, SRIB had filed an appeal because smallholdings in Sabah should be defined as 6 hectares and below," he said in a statement.

Lim said the disbursement would be managed by Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal.

The finance minister added that the move showed that the federal government was concerned about the welfare of smallholders in Sabah, who are facing problems due to lower rubber prices.

The Monsoon Season Aid was a policy initiated by the BN-administration and managed at the national level by the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Agency (Risda).