Laos and Malaysia, chosen for their potential to develop rubber plantations by Risda.

Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) intends to expand its investment by developing rubber plantations in Myanmar and Laos. Its chairman Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Chik said the two countries were chosen as they have ample landbank with the potential to be developed into rubber plantation or undertake rubber replanting programmes.

“The investment involve the supply of technology and sharing experience as well as disclosure of Risda’s rubber industry planting and replanting activities which has reached 40 years in the country,” he told reporters after launching the state level “Kasihi Pekebun Kecil” programme.

He said the two-way cooperation is aimed at not only increasing investment opportunities and earnings, but also to foster solidarity and ecnomic collaboration between Asean countries by assisting those countries to overcome poverty.

Towards this end, he said Risda’s subsidiaries, Estet Pekebun Kecil Sdn Bhd (Espek) and Risda Plantation Sdn Bhd (RPSB), will organise a four-day visit to the two countries from Oct 15, 2012 to explore investment opportunities there.

“The short visits are aimed at gathering information on the intiatives, the country’s rule of law, as well as our rights as an investor in order that the investment to be made are beneficial to both countries,” he said.

In other development, Rahim believed that the plantation sector, particularly Risda, will be given focus and additional allocation in Budget 2013 which will be presented in Parliament on Sept 28.

He said this is important to ensure that the development process in the plantation sector, which is now vibrant, is not halted.

“I believe Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has planned a careful budget in the context of fulfilling the promise to maintain a good livelihood especially among smallholders in the march towards 2020,” he said.

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