Salcra aims to double income

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GM reveals Salcra one of two commercial statutory bodies to achieve RM1 billion annual income

 

Vasco (standing) listening to detailed explanations from his officers to questions from the floor when briefing the Salcra landowners.

LUNDU: Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) has been achieving RM1 billion in annual revenue in the last four years, and is setting its eyes on doubling its income within the next two decades.

General manager Datu Vasco Sabat Singkang told The Borneo Post they are the only commercial statutory body achieving the RM1 billion figure, other than Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation (Sesco).

“We hit total RM1 billion revenue four years ago,” he said after a briefing with Salcra landowners at its training facility in Kampung Bajo near here.

Vasco was proud to inform that Salcra had given out business worth totalling RM208 million to Bumiputera entrepreneurs over the last four years, contrary to claims by critics on social media that it had not helped Bumiputeras.

“We are giving business up to RM208 million to Bumiputera entrepreneurs especially in transportation, maintenance and replanting works,” he revealed.

A teacher, Sylvester Dize Mesid of Kampung Bokah, Lundu, showing off his Section 18 land title issued to him by virtue of being Salcra participant.

On the never-ending accusations that Salcra was always making loss, Vasco laughed it off, pointing out that even people who stayed away from the scheme in the first round normally would join them when they replanted the area the following round.

“In the last 20 years, Salcra never lost money. People outside there, they never see our accounts. We never answer to them because we are in the government, these documents are audited every year, you cannot run away,” he explained.

On the accusation that Salcra is a front for the government to steal the people’s land, Vasco pointed out it is the only statutory body where scheme participants would be given land title under Section 18 of the Land Code for perpetuity.

“The land is theirs under Section 18 because of our ordinance,I don’t think anybody else (does that). Only us,” he said.

When asked why Salcra scheme is for 25 years, and not 40 or 60 years like others, Vasco revealed their programme is designed based on the lifespan of oil palm.

“After 25 years, we will carry out replanting. Those who want out can opt out. Those who chose to be out last time, can join us. We are not forcing anyone, that is why you are seeing many ‘islands’,” he said, referring to forested area within their estates.

On the future crops, Vasco said they had identified three major ones; namely rubber, bamboo and Kayu Gaharu.

“Rubber we see under the normal smallholders is not doing very well. We want to help the government using new model, focussing on the downstream activities,” he said, adding that Salcra chairman Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, has set 50,000 hectares as initial start-up for the rubber venture.

On the bamboo project, Vasco said the venture is still at trial stage, with one company in Bintulu already requesting them to supply bamboo chips for their Ferro Alloy manufacturing.

“If that is successful, they will require 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes of bamboo chips per year,” he said, adding that bamboo used to be oil palm smallholders’ number one enemy.

On the Gaharu tree, Vasco revealed that the plant is demanded for various needs and different segments of the market, both local and internationally.

“The leaves are used for making tea, the wood after the resin is extracted is used to make joss stick with very high demand from China and Japan, while the oil is used to make perfume base which has very high demand from Middle East,” he said.

When asked on how he would achieve the RM2-billion target, Vasco said he would conduct another briefing tomorrow.

“Listen to me on the 21st, I will explain in detail.

“It is achievable. But, everybody must work very hard,” he concluded.