23/08/2012 (Borneo Post) - Member of parliament Datuk Chua Soon Bui welcomed the announcement by Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB) chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad to abolish the implementation of sub-regulation 21.

Chua said abolishing MPOB (Licensing) Regulations 2005, which includes a penalty of RM200,000 and imprisonment of three years, or both, on estates or smallholders who are found to harvest or sell unripe fresh fruit bunch was much welcome following the appeal made by the Perak smallholders association.

She said she would write to Shahrir to confirm and make public to all smallholders and give official notices to all the estates and smallholders in Malaysia, especially Sabah.

Chua said since the penalty clause under Section 21 was totally unfair and uncalled for as complained and appealed by all stakeholders, the deferment of such implementation from July 1, 2012 is again considered another delay tactic by the government agency which is not good enough for the stakeholders in view of their contribution to the economic growth of the country and Sabah.

She therefore urged Plantation Industry and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and Shahrir to totally abolish such section and be fair and just to the stakeholders in Sabah.