SELANGAU, March — Sarawak Risda has received an allocation of RM20.7 million for replanting of rubber involving 5,564 acres of land.

This is part of RM158.3 million of the Rubber to Rubber Replanting Programme (TSGG) involving 54,057 hectares of land throughout the country.

Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said this amount is part of the RM388.6 million allocated to Risda under the 11th Malaysia Plan for development programmes in the country this year.

"The Sibu Division Risda office was given RM12 million, of which RM5.36 million is for the replanting of rubber in 550 hectares of land and another in 749 hectares,” he said.

Alexander Nanta was speaking at the launch of the Rubber Collection Centre and opening of the Nanga Sekuau Agropolitan Plantation Site here by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun, who is also Selangau Member of Parliament.

The Agrolitan project, he said, was an integrated development programme targeted at eradicating poverty and increasing the income and standard of living of rural folks. — Bernama