Photo for illustration.
BETONG (Sept 26): The Sarawak government will be taking over oil palm plantations in the state from Tabung Haji’s TH Plantation Berhad, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Opening the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Special Convention in Betong this morning, he said the state government was in the midst of negotiating the price for the takeover.
“This means plantations under Tabung Haji will be taken over by the state government, and we will be able to help and assist our smallholders in those plantations.
Give me three months, it will be settled,” he said, adding that equities from the take over would be distributed to the people of Sarawak.
He said after the takeover, the state government would develop the plantations in line with the state’s agro parks plan in collaboration with anchor companies, and the produce would be exported overseas.
He also assured that the state government would continue to assist fishermen in the state, whereby RM20 million have been allocated for that effort for this year.
At the same time, he said the state government was also contributing RM17 million to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) of Sarawakian mothers with no source of income.