KUALA LUMPUR: The government announced today that rubber tappers throughout the country would receive the RM500 subsidy, like the one given to smallholders of the commodity previously.
Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas said the subsidy was to ease the burden borne by the rubber tappers who were also affected by the drop in the price of the commodity.
The government had earlier announced that 260,000 rubber smallholders nationwide who were affected by the drop in the price of the commodity be given a Smallholders Cost of Living Subsidy (SPHK) of RM500 each paid once.
However, he did not disclose the total amount of the subsidy allocated and when it would be disbursed.
"The matter (rubber tappers) had already been discussed in the Cabinet and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had already instructed that the subsidy be given to rubber tappers," he told the Dewan Rakyat sitting, here today. -- BERNAMA
