PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (K-KOMM) will organise information programmes to reduce the public stigma against ketum and hemp when the cultivation procedure is finalised, Deputy Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin said.
He said the ministry would also educate the public on the use of ketum and hemp for medical and healthcare purposes.
“We plant the trees not just for fun, but for medical purposes,” he said after launching the Most Gutta Percha Tree Planting - The Malaysia Book of Records programme in conjunction with the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2022 here today.
On April 24, Zahidi, who is also Padang Besar Member of Parliament, was reported as saying that the Cabinet had approved a discussion to be held with Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on the growing of ketum and hemp for medical purposes.
The discussion, however, has not taken place.
In his speech earlier, Zahidi said the government is now trying to achieve the target of planting 100 million Gutta Percha trees across the country and had successfully planted 37 million of the tree species so far.
“This programme is one of the efforts to refute the allegation that there were uncontrolled tree-felling activities to the extent of affecting the ecosystem. Through this programme, we replant trees,” he said.
The programme, which was inspired by the Greening Malaysia Programme organised by the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, was held to preserve the country’s biological diversity and the Gutta Percha tree species was selected due to its important heritage status in Malaysia. - Bernama
