Padang Besar MP Zahidi Zainul Abidin told Malay daily Sinar Harian that smallholders should be allowed to grow up to five plants at their homes.

He said once locals are economically stable, they will no longer need to rely on subsidies from the government.

He also said ketum and marijuana are different, and subject to different laws.

“Ketum has high medicinal properties and can add to the income of locals, especially when the price of palm oil and rubber falls,” he said.

“When I was chairman of Risda (Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority), I suggested this but it wasn’t approved.”

If the government legalised the cultivation of ketum, he said, it would no longer have to give subsidies to smallholders. He added that the government could tax the sale of ketum leaves.

“The money collected from the tax could be used to organise motivational and anti-drug programmes, and so on.”

However, Perlis police chief Surina Saad said they would enforce the law as long as there are regulations against ketum.

“The issue of the economy has to be handled by those who handle the country’s economy, and the people’s own efforts are very important in increasing their income,” she said.

Zahidi’s initial proposal as Risda chief sparked opposition from many quarters, including the police and the National Anti-Drug Agency which wants ketum classified under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Putrajaya has banned the commercial growth of ketum under the Poisons Act 1952.

Under the act, anyone caught importing, exporting, manufacturing, supplying, selling or possessing ketum illegally can be fined up to RM10,000, face four years’ imprisonment or both.