ALOR STAR: The State Economic Planning Division has completed its proposal to seek federal approval to legalise the export of ketum.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said the proposal would be discussed by the state executive council before being presented to the federal government.
However, Sanusi said he could not divulge details on the content of the proposal as he had yet to read it.
"We will go through the proposal, probably in the state exco meeting next week or the following week.
"We are just proposing to the federal government. If the federal government approves, then we will proceed.
"But if the federal government says no, we will just have to wait further (until the matter is thoroughly looked into)," he told reporters after chairing the weekly state executive council meeting at Wisma Darul Aman here today.
It was reported in March that Sanusi had proposed for the federal government to legalise ketum export to foreign countries, especially to Thailand, as one of the measures to combat ketum smuggling.
Apart from enabling the government to generate tax revenue from the plants' export, the move would also help to reduce law enforcement agencies resource needs as those involved in combating ketum smuggling currently could be used elsewhere.
Sanusi had said Kedah should capitalise on the huge prospect of ketum export market as Thailand had already commercialised the crop, especially for pharmaceutical products.
Sanusi reiterated that the proposal had nothing to do with encouraging Kedahans to plant ketum.
"I did not call for the people to plant ketum, instead I asked the federal government to legalise the export of existing ketum plants in the state.
"The plant is already widely planted in the state and currently ketum is being smuggled. As such, we may solve this smuggling issue by allowing its export.
"It does not mean that I am encouraging people to plant ketum. We just need to export what we have today," he added.