Kota Kinabalu: The rubber sector in Malaysia welcomed its first Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody (COC) certified rubber plantation in Sabah, totalling 183.14 hectares held by a group of 56 rubber farmers from indigenous communities.
It marked the start of a journey to propel Malaysia as one of the major suppliers of sustainably-produced FSC-certified rubber in the Asia-Pacific region.
FSC sets the standard for responsible forest stewardship, ensuring forests are managed in a way that is environmentally appropriate, socially responsible and economically viable.
Deputy Chief Minister I and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industries, Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, said that the project was a response to the responsibility of caring for the environment, and that the certification by FSC was initiated in Tuaran and marked a historical milestone for the Malaysian rubber sector.