KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (Kubang Kerian-PN) has urged other companies to follow in the footsteps of Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) by sharing parts of its profits with its producers.
Tuan Ibrahim, who is also the former environment and water minister, singled out Top Glove Corporation Bhd, urging the company to give back to impoverished rubber tappers.
“It would be good if other corporations, such as Top Glove, which has raked in millions (of ringgit) in profit by supplying rubber gloves globally during the Covid-19 pandemic, also contributed to (the wellbeing of) rubber tappers.
“Rubber tappers face various hardships, including unstable and unsustainable rubber costs,” the PAS deputy president said during his debate on Budget 2023 in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He also labelled Putrajaya’s decision to increase the ceiling price of rubber by 20 cents from RM2.50 to RM2.70 as being “unhelpful”, claiming that rubber tappers all over the nation are in “dire straits”.
It was previously reported that Top Glove had closed the final quarter of its financial year ending August 31 last year at a loss due to rising costs and standardisation in demand for rubber gloves eating into its earnings.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Tambun-PH) had announced during his tabling of the supply bill last Friday that Bernas has agreed to share 30% of its net profits from rice imports with padi farmers.
On December 5 last year, Anwar had pledged RM60 million in assistance to rice farmers nationwide as part of initial measures to dismantle Bernas’ longstanding monopoly of the rice industry.
He had also assured that his government will no longer allow the monopoly of the industry by certain figures who prey on small-time players. – The Vibes, March 1, 2023
