KAPIT: Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development (KKLW), Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi disclosed that Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) not only helps rubber farmer to replant high yielding rubber trees but also provides other forms of assistance namely training, tuition programme (tuisyen rakyat @KKLW) and handicraft-making to its scheme participants.
He said this when officiating at ‘Majlis Kasihi Perkebun RISDA Negeri Sarawak 2017’ at Rumah Edison Bugap Rasin, Jalan Melekun-Baleh here last Saturday afternoon.
The function was organised by RISDA Sarawak in collaboration with KKLW which was attended by more than 150 people.
Among those present were Pelagus Assemblyman, Wilson Nyabong Ijang, Political Secretaries to the Chief Minister, Nicholas Kudi Jantai and Tapah Ata, Director of RISDA Sarawak, Zulkefli Bin Zaini, Administrative Officer of Kapit District Office, Robert Anyau heads of the government departments and local community leaders.
Nanta added that the event was organised throughout the state to help the participants comprising rubber smallholders, students and handicraft entrepreneurs.
He added that RISDA assisted every rubber smallholder by giving a RM500 one-off payment when the price of rubber dropped.
“The objective of this programme is to get to know the roles and function of RISDA, to establish close relationship between RISDA and rubber smallholders, serves as platform to exchange ideas, shares the latest information and technology,” he said.
Responding to a request by Tuai Rumah Edison, Nanta pledged to help the farmers to survey their NCR land for agriculture purposes.
“I hope landowners can establish closer rapport with RISDA and SALCRA to develop their land for agriculture where RISDA is giving a subsidy of RM13,500 per hectare for the replanting of high yield rubber trees,” said Nanta
He also congratulated RISDA for successfully carrying out the replanting of rubber trees and ‘Program Peningkatan Pendapatan Dan Keusahawan’ with an overall allocation of RM393,503,600.00 in the country where Sarawak received RM48,627,124.00 to replant high yield rubber trees covering an area of 1,835 hectares involving 1,059 rubber smallholders.
He added that under the Entrepreneurial Development and Additional Economic Activity programme (AET) RISDA has allocated RM35,718,753.00 to benefit 2,389 RISDA guided entrepreneurs.
Nanta also disclosed that RISDA has also allocated RM1,148,300.00 to groom 147 entrepreneurs in Sarawak under the AET programme.
“This year KKLW has also allocated RM41,251,421.00 to RISDA Sarawak to replant rubber trees and AET where 45, 262 participants will benefit from them.
He said RISDA does not only help rubber smallholders but also provides allocations for ‘Program Tuisyen Rakyat dan Pergerakan Wanita Pekebun Kecil (PWPK). The assistance is to run tuition class for five critical subjects namely Mathematics, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa English, Science and History.
“This year RM2.46 million has been allocated for 197 schools to run tuition class nationwide where Sarawak receives RM275,000.00 to benefit 22 schools. The result proved that the students’ achievement has improved by 10 per cent based on the final examination for Form Four students.
For PWPK, Nanta said that RISDA has allocated RM1.56 million to 820 PWPK in the country for this year while RM18,000 has been allocated to 15 PWPKs in Sarawak.
During the function Nanta also announced a grant of RM10,000 to JKKK Rumah Edison to purchase fire extinguishers and another RM5,000 to replace the longhouse roofing.
Later he presented a mock cheque of RM12,500 to SMK Kapit 2 for the tuition class, presented appointment certificate to RISDA Community Development for RISDA Office Kapit and presented AET assistance for this year.
Pelagus Assemblyman, Wilson Nyabong Ijang and the Director of RISDA Sarawak, Zulkefli Bin Zaini also spoke at the function.
