11/10/2025
Sarawak Sets Clear Path To Unlock Rubberwood Industry Potential
KUCHING: Sarawak is poised to tap into the promising potential of its rubber wood resources, following a successful two-day lab aimed at finalising regulations and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the harvesting, replanting, transportation, processing, and marketing of rubber wood and related products.
The event, organised by the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and attended by around 40 officers from key government agencies including the Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development (MUDeNR), Sarawak Rubber Industry Board (SARIB), Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM), and others, marked a significant milestone towards kick-starting the rubber wood-based industry in the state.
Rubber wood, a largely untapped resource in Sarawak, has the potential to transform the timber sector from being primarily raw-material based into an industry focused on high-value downstream processing.
Studies conducted by STIDC in 2023 indicated that Sarawak has roughly 94,000 hectares planted with rubber wood, predominantly managed by smallholders. The largest cluster is within a 100-kilometre radius of Betong, covering approximately 50,000 hectares with an estimated five million cubic metres of standing volume.
Timber from rubber trees no longer suited for latex production can be sustainably harvested and used as raw material for producing engineered wood, furniture, and other value-added products.
This offers promising avenues for job creation, income growth, and broader economic opportunities in Sarawak.
The lab concluded with consensus on the importance of seamless collaboration among regulatory agencies to fine-tune responsibilities, statutory charges, and SOPs for the rubber wood supply chain.
Meanwhile, MUDeNR reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring all rubber wood products manufactured and exported from Sarawak meet local and international standards.
This includes compliance with timber legality assurance schemes and forthcoming European Union deforestation regulations, with the Sarawak Timber Legality Verification System (STLVS) playing a key role in market acceptance across the EU, Japan, Australia, Korea, India, and beyond.
This enhanced regulatory framework is aligned with the PCDS2030 goal of generating RM8 billion in annual export revenue from value-added timber products by 2030. - UKASnews