Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said the proposal he made on March 16 for the federal government to allow Kedah to export ketum leaves for medical purposes abroad, especially to Thailand, was still only at the proposal stage and not been approved yet. — Bernama pic
ALOR SETAR, March 23 – The Kedah government is leaving it entirely to the federal government to decide whether its proposal to export ketum leaves is approved or otherwise, said Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
He said the proposal he made on March 16 for the federal government to allow Kedah to export ketum leaves for medical purposes abroad, especially to Thailand, was still only at the proposal stage and not been approved yet.
“The State Economic Planning Division (BPEN) will prepare a proposal paper to be sent to the Federal government.
“The decision lies with the federal government, not the state government. This is a solution that we propose so that the smuggling of ketum leaves can stop,” he said.
He said this when winding up debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal address at the State Assembly (DUN) sitting here today.
Muhammad Sanusi said the proposal paper to be sent to the federal government was to propose a method to implement the export of ketum leaves overseas.
“Ketum has been cultivated in our state for a long time. A lot of ketum smuggling occurs due to high demand from foreign countries, causing the national enforcement agencies to focus a lot on its smuggling activities,” he said.
Muhammad Sanusi also told a press conference that the state government would also take into account suggestions and opinions from all state assemblymen, enforcement agencies, ketum growers in preparing the proposal paper.
“It is better to export the ketum than to be smuggled and abused. In fact, the ketum leaves are not at fault, it is the people who misuse it by processing it into a banned substance,” he said.
He added that if the proposal is approved later, there will be strict rules that need to be enforced so that there is no leakage in the process of exporting ketum leaves.
The four-day State Assembly starting last Sunday was adjourned sine die. – Bernama