LIGS PLANS 40 HA OF RUBBER PLANTATION IN PARCEL B OF PULAU BANGGI NEXT YEAR

KOTA KINABALU, April 14 (Bernama) -- The Sabah Rubber Industry Board (LIGS) plans to develop 40 hectares (ha) of land in Parcel B on Pulau Banggi with rubber plantations involving 130 villagers, under a RM5 million allocation next year, the State Legislative Assembly was told today.

Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said LIGS was optimistic and committed to developing the entire area within the 13th Malaysia Plan period, which is expected to benefit 1,000 local residents as rubber tappers.

The Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Industry Minister said that the full development of Parcel B would generate an economic impact of at least RM40 million annually for Pulau Banggi.

"This ministry, through LIGS, does not intend to de-gazette the Parcel B land, as the federal government has already approved a development allocation of RM30 million," he said when replying to a question from Datuk Mohammad Mohamarin (GRS-Banggi).

Mohammad had wanted to know whether LIGS wanted to develop its 2,000-hectare land the land handed over by Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation and Authority (Felcra) on Pulau Banggi.

Further explaining, Kitingan clarified that LIGS-owned land in Parcel B, Pulau Banggi, actually covers 3,280 hectares, not 2,000 hectares, and was gazetted to LIGS in 2018 under Section 28 of the Sabah Land Ordinance.

He said LIGS was working to develop the entire Parcel B area and was formulating a phased development plan for the area using the allocations approved by the federal government.

"In 2024, LIGS spent RM1.3 million to conduct a survey of the entire area, and this year, LIGS will proceed with rubber plantation development covering 200 hectares, costing RM2.5 million, involving 60 local villagers as participants," he said.

As for Parcel A in the Banggi area, he said it has been entrusted to Felcra for development under an agreement between the state government and the agency.

-- BERNAMA