19/09/2007 (Daily Express News), Tawau - Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui expressed optimism that the Quality Oil Palm Seedlings Assistance Scheme could greatly benefit nearly 5,000 smallholders throughout the country, involving 20,00 hectares of oil palm cultivations.

The scheme is open to all smallholders having five hectares of land each in the peninsula, and seven hectares in Sabah and Sarawak, he said.

In this respect, the Federal Government had allocated RM25 million for the scheme, aimed at improving productivity of the oil palm smallholders, he said, while opening a smallholders development seminar and presentation of coupons for the scheme.

He also launched the use of Envo Diesel by Teck Guan Sdn Bhd, at Hotel Emas here, on Tuesday.

The function involved some 50 oil palm smallholders.

On Envo Diesel, being an oil palm-based fuel, Chin said studies since 2006 on the use of this fuel had increased the palm oil price from an average of RM1,500 per tonne to the level of RM2,8000 per tonne, so far this year.

He pointed out that the use of palm oil in the fuel industry had improve the added value of the agriculture commodities, thereby providing lucrative returns to the national palm oil industry.

According to him, tests had shown that the use of Envo Diesel on vehicles owned by Government agencies and the private sector machinery had vastly improve engine performance and capacity.

The tests would continue until the Government is satisfied that the palm oil-based fuel is safe for use by public vehicles and other industries, he said.

Chin also commended Teck Guan Sdn Bhd in collaboration with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) had pioneered the use of Envo Diesel for plantation machinery throughout the whole country.

Also present were MPOB chairman Dato Sabri Ahmad, his Deputy Director-General (research and development )Dato Dr Choo Yuan May, Teck Guan Managing Director Datuk Hong Nyit Ming , Tawau MP Shim Paw Fatt and Tawau Municipal Council President Salsidu Ibrahim.