14/12/2011 (Borneo Post) - Datuk Tiong Thai King has called on land owners to turn their land into either rubber or oil palm plantations and never to leave them idle.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary dinner of Selera Muhibah Food Court on Monday, Tiong, who is the chairman of Sibu Municipal Council, said that land owners might not realise it, but having the land titles was like having gold in their hand.

He said that rubber and palm oil were commodities of great demand in the world market, and the government was giving assistance to the people to develop their land into plantations.

“Selling our commodities to China is enough, what more to say the global market,” Tiong said.

Tiong, who is also Lanang MP, said what the land owners had to do was to pool their resources to form a consortium of sorts.

“Then, apply for government assistance to plant high-yielding rubber or oil palm. This is one of the ways the government is helping the people to earn higher income.”

To hawkers at the food court, Tiong commended them for their enterprise and hard work, to put food on the table for their families.

Among those present at the dinner were the chairman and vice-chairperson of the council’s Petty Traders and Market Standing Committee Chieng Buong Toon and Wong Hie Ping respectively, Rajang Port Authority chairman Vincent Goh and chairman of Sibu Meradong Hawkers’ Federation Chiong Siong Ngoung.