SABAH is a lucky and privileged state in Malaysia. It has always been fed with privileged policies and programme from the Federal Government by the authoritative Malayan Malay Officials.

Recently the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) announced Malayan Bamboo Industry Development Action Plan Preparation workshop at Kota Kinabalu. MTIB widely published the outline of its Action Plan. Daily Express published the “goodie goodies” news.

These MTIB policies and programmes are among the many policies introduced in Sabah by both the Federal and State Government. These included: Planting of vanilla, planting of passion fruits, rearing Burung Puyu, rabbit for “satay” and a few others. All were said to provide an income of around RM100,000 yearly to every Sabahan family. That equates to over RM8,000 per month. This would automatically elevate poor Sabahans to Middle Class. This is, of course, great news, unfortunately though, most of the programme funds will be spent in Malaya. Sabah by default will get almost zero. This is fact.

MTIB is fully aware that Sabah has zero products for local consumption including fruits and vegetables. The only export product is Palm Oil, which is mostly owned by West Malaysian (Malayan) companies and little rubber – that is all. Manufactured goods is also zero.

It is conclusively stated by MTIB to place Sabah as Number One Bamboo State in Malaysia. The claims that Tambunan has the largest bamboo area in Malaysia is also a gimmick. The policy is defective for the following reasons:

- The limit of growing just 24 hectares is just “main-main” bamboo farm;

- The grant of loan given did not cover living funds for a farmer to survive while waiting for the bamboo to be harvested in the 10th year or RM1,000 per month x 12 x 10 years = RM120,000.

- No mention of end product nor the price per ton of bamboo powder or chips;

- MTIB also did not take into account that countries such as Indo-China, Philippines, Indonesia who have millions of hectares of natural bamboo. It is not exploited or harvested because it costs more. These same countries have also been making various bamboo products for “donkey years”;

- MTIB purposely fail to fix the price of bamboo in the 10th year and more importantly, mention the type of bamboo to be planted.

- MTIB makes no mention when the bamboo will mature, just in case it decides to ban the export of Commercially Cultivated bamboo just like it did when it decided to ban the export of commercially cultivated timber logs.

It is high time that MTIB as a Federal Government Agency when promoting the cultivation of commercial timber and now bamboo, should undertake and give assurance to the prospective bamboo growers in Sabah the following:-

1. There will be no ban of products export from Sabah either by the Federal or State Government;

2. MTIB provide special fund of RM1 billion, just like the Commercial Timber Fund of 4pc interest be only payable after first harvest (11th year);

3. MTIB will set up bamboo processing factory in Tambunan, Beaufort and Kudat by 2030 – when the planted bamboo is due for harvesting;

4. Guarantee a price of US$1,000 per ton of fresh bamboo;

5. Loan application approval within 3 months.

Sabah leaders at this point, after many many years should confront these Authoritative Malayan Malay Officials as to why almost all Federal policy and programmes introduced in Sabah almost always fail.

Replying on supply of bamboo from the wild is impractical as it is costly to harvest, they grow scattered around in many places. Whereas bamboo planted in a plantation is more cost effective and it is practical and viable venture. A large scale bamboo plantation must be established to continuously supply fresh bamboo to the factory. It will act as an anchor supplier of fresh bamboo whilst the rest of the small farmers can join in as the industry grows.

Based on facts and figures, Sabah must undertake large scale Bamboo planting in order to meet worldwide market demand given its unlimited usage application.

George Matib, Tambunan

(Sabah Daily Express, Published on: Sun, Dec 13, 2020)

陳楨·福職：舞狮與非物質文化遺產