Malaysia Rubber Product Exports Up To US$4.3 Bln Last Year

KUCHING (Sarawak, Malaysia), March 3 (Bernama) -— Exports of Malaysian rubber products grew exponentially from US$1.3 billion (RM5.4 billion) in 2000 to US$4.35 billion (RM17.99 billion) last year, said Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council (MREPC) Chief Executive Low Yoke Kiew.(US$1=RM4.13) Low said the products were exported to more than 190 countries worldwide, adding that MREPC has been diligently playing its role of promoting Malaysian-made rubber products worldwide. She was speaking at a ceremony to mark MREPC's donation of one million gloves to the Sarawak Health Department here Thursday, officiated by MREPC Chairman and Sebuti MP Ahmad Lai Bujang representing Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Douglas Uggah Embas. The gloves will be distributed to all healthcare facilities and services including hospitals, health clinics, dental clinics, mobile health teams and flying doctor services. Low said Malaysia is also the world’s leading supplier of medical gloves (examination and surgical gloves), Foley catheters and condoms. On the domestic front, she said MREPC has been actively organising nationwide glove awareness programmes for healthcare workers to promote glove usage and raise awareness on the need to use personal protective equipment to help protect against infectious diseases. “These programmes are organised with the intent of increasing the per capita consumption of medical gloves in Malaysia which is currently around nine pairs per year. “This is a very small figure compared to developed nations where the healthcare standards are high, with the per capita consumption of gloves at 80 pairs and 50 pairs a year in the United States and the European Union respectively,” she said. “MREPC hopes that this initiative will contribute to the State Health Department’s efforts in advancing Sarawak’s healthcare services,” she added. -- BERNAMA