TAWAU, Jan 14 — Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin said that the RM100 million set aside by the federal government under Budget 2024 as replanting incentives will be in the form of “one-to-one” matching grants through TSPKS 2.0 for qualified smallholders.
“The distribution of this replanting incentive will be one of my ministry’s key projects this year, with the ultimate aim of accelerating the replanting of oil palm plantations that are more than 23 years old and ensuring the continued and sustainable development of Malaysia’s palm oil industry,” he said.
Chan, who is also Member of Parliament for Kota Kinabalu, said this during a dinner organized by the Tawau Chinese Chamber of Commerce on Saturday night.
Chan made a whirlwind working visit to Tawau yesterday. He visited Teck Guan Group of Companies’ palm oil mill near Sungai Burung, Balung in the morning, attended a dialogue meeting with the Tawau Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Tawau Agriculture Association at the Tawau town centre in the afternoon, and then proceeded to the swearing-in ceremony of the Tawau Chinese Chamber of Commerceat SJK© Kung Ming’s school hall in the evening.
Teck Guan Group’s Sg Burung Palm Oil Mill was the first mill that Chan had visited after taking office as the Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities on December 13, last year.
Chan noted that the Teck Guan Group was founded by fellow Sabahan entrepreneurs from scratch.
He was received by Datuk Hong Ngit Ming, Managing Director of Teck Guan Group of Companies.
Officers from the Sabah branch of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) were also present.
During the visit to the said palm oil mill, Chan and the MPOB officers had witnessed the entire oil palm processing chain and saw first-hand how the company maximize the use of every part of oil palm in high-productivity operations.
“I also learned that the Teck Guan Group had also invested a lot of efforts in renewable energy power generation, which certainly deserves commendations,” said Chan.
After the palm oil mill visit, Chan attended a dialogue meeting with about 30 committee members from the Tawau Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Tawau Agricultural Association.
During the dialogue, he was informed of the challenges faced by smallholders in the oil palm industry, especially in the Tawau area.
In return, Chan had shared with those present the support that federal government agencies and departments can provide to palm oil smallholders in order to form a complete ecosystem for the sustainable development of the palm oil industry. — Borneo Post
