PUTRAJAYA: Rubber glove exports must be fully manufactured in Malaysia to qualify for certificates of origin, said Plantation and Commodities Minister, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
He stressed that products partially made abroad and merely repackaged in Malaysia will no longer be permitted for re-export.
“We do not want Malaysia to become a trade diversion hub,” Johari said, citing the need to uphold the industry’s reputation and meet commitments to trade partners like the United States.
Malaysia produces about 348,000 tonnes of rubber annually – far short of the over one million tonnes required – hence raw latex imports, such as from Thailand, remain allowed for domestic processing into finished products.
The Malaysian Rubber Board now requires glove exporters to be licensed, part of efforts to ensure product traceability and safeguard the integrity of Malaysia’s rubber industry. – BERNAMA
