Plan to tap rubber in forest reserve

THE Malaysia Rubber Board has proposed legalising the tapping of rubber trees in the Bukit Kiara Forest Reserve to solve the long-standing problem of illegal tapping.

The board’s director for Selangor and Federal Territories Rabiah Mohd Yusof said they had written a letter to the National Landscape Department that managed the Bukit Kiara Forest Reserve informing about the proposal.

“Meetings have been held on the matter but we have not received an answer from the department,” she told StarMetro.

She said the board proposed that the department introduce licence and contract to tappers to monitor their activities.

“Rubber trees in the Bukit Kiara Forest Reserve are clones and still produce a lot of latex while it is not so serious a problem in Bukit Gasing because the trees were planted from seeds and not so productive,” she explained.

She said the same proposal had been accepted by PKNS to monitor illegal tapping in Bukit Tarik and was proven effective.

“Through this method, the caretakers can ensure the tappers keep the area clean and observe other regulations. It is a win-win situation.”

She also highlighted that the department’s security guards should gather evidence of the buyers so that the board could revoke their licences and also for the police to take action for buying stolen rubber .

StarMetro reported that illegal rubber-tapping at the Bukit Gasing Forest Reserve was being carried out because the commodity’s price had soared. With checks and enforcement by Petaling Jaya City Council, the situation there was under control but illegal tapping at the Bukit Kiara Forest Reserve had become more rampant.

The report also drew comments that the tappers were only trying to earn a decent living while others said it would not be wise to waste the natural resources.

National Landscape Depart-ment director-general Esa Ahmad said the department was assessing information and recommendations provided by various parties, and could not comment at the moment.

(Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/2/15/central/8062482&sec=central)