According to Johari, Malaysia currently produces around 348,000 metric tonnes of rubber annually, far lower than the industry’s requirement of over one million metric tonnes. Therefore, raw materials such as latex from Thailand are still allowed to be imported, as they are fully processed domestically before becoming end products.
“What’s important is that the processing occurs here. We do not want Malaysia to become a hub for trade diversion involving finished products from other countries. This is to protect the reputation and sustainability of the local rubber industry,” he said.
Last week, the Plantation and Commodities Ministry announced that only rubber glove exporters licensed by the Malaysian Rubber Board are allowed to export products sourced from local manufacturers effective immediately.
It said the move was taken to safeguard product quality and to prevent Malaysia from being used as an export route for finished products from other countries. — Bernama
Source: Malaymail
