Risda creates ‘a mess’ in Sabah

Hundreds of native farmers are angry with Risda
for 'abandoning' its pledge to cultivate
rubber plantations on their land.

By Luke Rintod of FMT

KOTA BELUD: Federal agency Rubber Industry Smallholders’ Development Authority (Risda) in Sabah has come under attack for leaving idle, stretches of land which they had cleared off trees two year ago, after promising native owners that they would re-cultivate the land for them.

The past two year have seen  price of rubber latex at a high and many farmers are angry with Risda for depriving them of additional earnings.

Demanding an explanation, opposition Sabah Progressive Peoples Party (SAPP), said it has received many complaints from affected farmers and that it was now obvious that Risda had created ‘a mess’ in Sabah.

Citing the situation in Kota Belud, SAPP supreme council member Peter Marajin said, the ‘deforestation’ had caused soil erosion and landslides in the vicinity.

“I have received various verbal complaints from villagers especially around Kota Belud about Risda’s rubber re-plantation or rehabilitation programme that created serious problems of landslides and erosion.

“In Kota Belud alone, hundreds of hectares are affected and hundreds of families are  badly affected ” he said.

Marajin who is a lawyer said Risda officers had convinced the rubber tappers it would undertake rubber re-plantation.

“But now these lands are left overgrown with bushes. I was told by the villagers that Risda officers also promised them they would be given high-quality rubber tree seedlings at no cost when terracing is done. But that was about two years ago,” he said.

He said many rubber tappers were convinced by Risda’s promise and had signed a contract with Risda.

The contract allowed Risda to fell their old rubber trees and do the terracing.

Erosions and landslides

Marajin said incessant rains since last year has however caused erosions and landslides of the now terraced land.

“The situation is serious in some of these areas. In some kampungs like in Kelawat areas, landslides are almost hitting the houses of rubber tappers or their neighbours.

“If you go to these places now, you could easily find those landslides and erosions,” he added.

According to Marajin,  many rubber tappers are now a disappointed lot as they had missed the opportunity of increasing their revenue as the price of rubber latex was high the past two years.

“Risda should address this matter urgently if it is serious to uplift the economic status of Sabahan rubber tappers.

“The rubber trees would have been at least two years old now if Risda planned well its re-plantation programme.

“It should be matured for rubber-tapping in four years but now that seems unlikely as no prompt seedlings are made available.

“Many of the terraced lands now are also overgrown with bushes. What a mess Risda has made,” Marajin.

He claimed that the only ones who are happy with this situation are the officers themselves, contractors and perhaps a few people who paved the way for Risda presence here.

“I believe Risda has also carried out such programmes in other parts of Sabah and failed.I believe the hectarage and number of families affected could be much higher statewide,” he said.