Kota Kinabalu: The West Region Latex Timber Forest Plantation Project has recorded total rubber coagulum sales amounting to RM2.89 million as of 2025, with total payments made to local rubber tappers reaching RM142,616.75.
Rubber tapping operations in the West Region Latex Timber Forest Plantation Project began in 2018 and are still ongoing.
“This initiative has generated significant financial contributions to local communities,” Sabah Forestry Development Authority (Safoda) General Manager Datuk Bahrul Razha Chuprat said during the breaking of fast event on Thursday.
In 2011, Safoda developed the Latex Timber Forest Plantation (ITP) covering 1,868 hectares in the West and North regions. The project aligns with the organisation’s objective of providing a sustainable timber supply while simultaneously strengthening the rubber agri-commodity sector as a sustainable source of income.
“While waiting for the latex timber trees to reach maturity, rubber tapping activities can be carried out as a means of generating additional income,” he explained.
He said the West Region Latex Timber Forest Plantation Project has created employment opportunities for local communities, with 41 members participating in rubber tapping activities and paid RM1.50 per kilogram, amounting to an average annual income of about RM4,000 per person.
Meanwhile, Safoda’s daily-paid workers who are also involved in tapping activities receive a minimum salary of RM1,700 per month for carrying out rubber plantation-related work.
“They are also given the opportunity to generate additional income if their tapping results exceed daily targets, with the incentive rate increased from RM1 to RM1.50 per kilogram,” he added, noting that the increase aims to attract more participants from nearby villages and encourage higher productivity among existing workers.
Another incentive introduced by Safoda this year is a RM1,000 award for the best-performing rubber tapper, aimed at motivating participants and recognising outstanding performance among workers.
Additionally, individual contract tappers recorded the highest income of up to RM11,228.70 annually, while daily-paid workers recorded the highest income of RM7,698 annually, demonstrating that the rubber tapping sector has the potential to contribute to Safoda’s revenue while improving the socio-economic status of local residents.
Bahrul expressed hope that more residents from nearby villages, especially around the Kota Belud plantation, will join the tapping programme, noting that many trees in their plantations are already mature but remain untapped due to a shortage of workers.
He also plans to diversify Safoda’s land-based business activities by exploring opportunities such as solar energy projects, renewable energy initiatives, wind turbine installations, and future ventures involving green energy and carbon-related projects.
“Rubber timber plantations are not attractive to many investors because the return on investment takes a long time — around 10 to 15 years.
“As a result, Safoda is exploring other revenue-generating activities to fund and sustain its long-term forestry projects,” he said.
