JOHOR BARU: For years, furniture makers have been facing a shortage of rubber wood, an important raw material used to produce durable fixtures.

Muar Furniture Association president Steve Ong said the impact was more noticeable recently due to various factors including changes in plantation practices and uncontrolled export of rubber wood veneer.

“Manufacturers were forced to cancel or delay orders due to insufficient raw materials, and they were also unable to accept large orders or meet furniture export demands.

“Importing rubber wood from other countries could lead to increased costs,” he told The Star.

Ong said about 80% of local wooden furniture in Malaysia were produced using rubber wood due to its availability and workability.

“The material is also popular for furniture-making as it is high density, durable, eco-friendly and is widely accepted by international buyers,” he said.

He urged the government to intervene by limiting the export of rubber wood to prioritise local manufacturers.

“Malaysia exports rubber wood primarily to Asian countries, including China, Vietnam and India,” he said, adding that the material was sourced from Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak.

Ong said the association was pushing for replanting programmes to salvage the situation.

He noted that such efforts should be undertaken through a systematic replanting plan and adhere to the lifecycle of rubber tree plantations.

“We hope that planting rubber trees, specifically for rubber wood, can be done in order to expedite the availability of the material for furniture-making rather than relying on rubber.

“Rubber trees planted for furniture (rubber wood) can be harvested in seven to eight years as compared to harvesting rubber wood from trees that produce latex which take a period of 20 to 25 years, which is too long,” he said.

Ong added that Johor was the country’s leading furniture manufacturer, where more than 70% came from Muar.

When contacted, Johor executive councillor Ling Tian Soon said he was aware of the issue faced by the industry as the Batu Pahat Furniture Association had raised similar concerns with him recently.

Ling, who is also state health and environment committee chairman, said in the first quarter of the year, Johor experienced a gross domestic product growth rate of 5.4%, surpassing the national level of 4.2%.

“This shows that Johor has been attracting foreign investments and other developments contributing to the growth of the construction sector, which brings spillover effects to many industries including the furniture industry.

“The state government will find ways to assist the industry,” he said.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/28/rubber-wood-shortage-hits-furniture-makers