Fadillah (standing second right) and Uggah (standing second left) witness the signing of MoA ‘Research Collaboration on Cuplump Modified Asphalt (CMA) in Road Pavement Construction’ between JKR and LGM representatives. — Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: The use of frozen rubber ‘cup lumps’ in the construction of Malaysian roads is expected to contribute to the target of enhancing domestic usage of the commodity by 10 per cent annually.
Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the move to increase domestic usage is among efforts to stabilise rubber prices and reduce the impact on about 300,000 smallholders in Malaysia.
“The uncertainty in the global rubber market is the main challenge faced by this industry.
“Rubber prices on the global market is influenced by a number of factors, including demand and supply, as well as the economic growth of key importing countries.
“By using rubber in the construction of roads, the government hopes to contribute to the target of increasing domestic rubber usage by 10 per cent annually,” he added.
Uggah said this at the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Public Works Department (PWD) here yesterday.
The PWD and the Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM)signed the MOA to undertake joint research in the use of the frozen rubber “cup lumps’ as an additional material in asphalt to increase the use of rubber for the purpose of road construction.
The “cup lumps” are obtained directly from rubber trees without going through any manufacturing process at the plant.
About 10 per cent of the country’s rubber production, now at 700,000 metric tonnes annually, is targeted for use as part of the mix for the construction of roads.
Unggah said although the research might take time, maybe up to 2018, he hoped it could be implemented as early as next year.
Meanwhile, Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof told a media conference that the large scale pioneer projects could be implemented on a number of highways being planned, including the Pan Borneo.
He said the use of rubber had previously been undertaken in the construction of roads and had proven to have a longer life span as a result, when compared to the use of the normal materials.
The road network in Malaysia now encompasses 19,714 kilometres of Federal roads, including 1,996.85 kilometres of tolled highways and 184,073 kilometres of state roads based on statistics up to 2014. — Bernama