KUALA LUMPUR: The government has been urged to fix floor prices for rubber and oil palm commodities as a measure to help rubber tappers, small holders and Felda settlers face the monsoon season.
In making the call, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (BN - Bera) suggested that the price of scrap rubber be raised from RM1.90 to RM3 per kg.
“The floor price of oil palm, meanwhile, should be set at Rm400 per tonne.
“The RM300 aid for fishermen should be continued while for Felda settlers, I propose that the repayment of loans be postponed if their monthly income is under RM1,500.
“When Barisan Nasional was helming the government, all loan repayments were postponed if their income was below RM1,500 a month.
“This enables them to continue their life and have sufficient income to support their family,” hr said while debating the 2019 Supply Bill at the Dewan Rakyat, on Thursday.
Ismail Sabri said the government should consider the move, given that the 2019 Budget did not touch on any specific aid for the group.
“Even with an additional budget, the original budget is important as it did not take into account the interests and hardship faced by the rural community.
“If the theme of this budget was to have ‘rakyat sejahtera’ (prosperous people), it looks like it will have to be changed to ‘rakyat sengsara’ (people in suffering).
“There was no special announcement for farmers, fishermen, rubber tappers, small holders or settlers, even though they make up the largest community in the rural areas,” he said.
He urged the government to work towards helping the people and to stop looking for faults with the previous administration as a means to distract attention from its failures.
“The government of the day is chosen by the people. Even though there are promises which have yet to be kept, at least look after the interests of the rural community. Enough already with blaming Barisan Nasional,” he said.