SOME 320 families at the Pos Pulat Orang Asli settlement in Gua Musang have become the first natives to be introduced to the multi-purpose kenaf plant by the National Tobacco and Kenaf Board (LKTN). 

These Orang Asli families can now be involved in several downstream activities based on the plant that can be cultivated and managed easily within the Malaysian tropics, said board chairman Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah. 

“Hence it is suitable for the Orang Asli community, who are largely agrarian, to grow kenaf. It is a plant which has huge potential if the farmers know how to utilise its potential,” he added. 

The former Kelantan legislative assembly speaker said the natives have a strong understanding of the fundamentals of farming, so growing kenaf should come naturally to them. 

There are plans to expand the growing of kenaf to all Orang Asli communities living in Kelantan, Perak, and Pahang. 

Wan Abdul Rahim said the natives could grow kenaf to add to their sources of income, which mostly involves fishing, hunting, and selling medicinal plants.  

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) is a fast-growing, tropical plant in the mallow family that is native to India and Africa.  

It is also known as ambari and mesta, and is a relative of the cotton plant.  

Kenaf is mainly cultivated for its fibre, which is used to make paper, cordage, and textiles, and is often used as a substitute for jute. In Malaysia, it can also be used for pet food, and as components for pillows and mattresses. 

Kenaf is now widely advocated as a substitute for tobacco because of its sustainable value. 

It usually thrives in high humidity areas, hence states such as Perlis, Kedah, Pahang, Terengganu, Johor, and Kelantan could offer tracts of land to cultivate the plant. 

LKTN’s eastern region head Nik Muhamad Azhar Nik Mustapha said the board targets to use 350ha to grow kenaf for the furniture industry, another 128ha to produce fibre, 200ha for livestock feed, and 22ha for cluster farming.  

Nik Azhar added that the board would provide incentives and training to those keen to grow the plant on a commercial basis, especially in phasing out tobacco-planting. 

Wan Abdul Rahim said there were plans to introduce kenaf to Sarawak, where it could be grown on a widespread basis due to the vast land the state possessed. 

He said the board would soon embark on a publicity campaign to ensure the average Malaysian understood the multiplier effect of introducing kenaf. 

“We are blessed to have fertile land which allows non-native plants from oil palm to rubber and now kenaf to grow in a flourishing manner here.  We must take advantage of this,” he said. – July 26, 2024.