SIMUNJAN: The federal government has approved a grant of RM35 million under Budget 2022 for a new oil palm planting scheme for smallholders, said Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Willie Mongin, today.

He said the smallholders would also be given high-quality oil palm seedling clones and fertilisers to enable them to boost the output of their smallholdings.

"If in the past, during the Pakatan Harapan government, the grants had been turned to loans and this had burdened the smallholders but now they can heave a sigh of relief and start their new cultivation," he said.

He said this in his speech when launching the Koperasi Penanaman Sawit Mampan (KPSM) Daerah Serian Berhad ramp site in Kampung Sabun, here.

In his speech the Puncak Borneo Member of Parliament also urged the people to continue their support for Gabungan Parti Sarawak, adding that the coalition has proven its ability to form a stable state government since 2018.

-- BERNAMA