The Block New Planting/Replanting of Rubber Trees with Latex Timber/High Yield Clones Programme, which had been initiated by SRIB in 1981 has shown a huge impact on the productivity in land usage and the commercialisation of rubber plantation. To date, SRIB has successfully developed around 85,654 hectares of land. Each participant for this programme is given an incentive of RM 14,000.00 per hectare as well as assistance for land clearance and maintenance for 5 years. 107 The outcome of this project has shown a significant increase in people’s income, thus, improving the living standard among the poor. Based on the study conducted by SRIB from 2009 to 2012 which involved 188 respondents from 10 districts in Sabah, this Rubber Block New Cultivation Planting Programme has contributed to the significant increase of income levels among smallholders. Table 5 shows the average monthly income of landowners before and after participating the SRIB’s Rubber Block New Cultivation Planting Programme. The income levels has risen by up to 600%, which ranges from RM2,500.00 to RM 3,000.00 per month, in accordance with rubber market value at the time at RM 4.50/kg for every 4 acres. TABLE 5: DISTRICT AVERAGE MONHTLY INCOME OF PROJECT PARTICIPANTS BASED ON DISTRICT AND LAND AREA INCOME (RM) INCREMENT LAND AREA BEFORE AFTER (%) (ACRES) PITAS 286 2,160 655 7.6 K. MARUDU 193 1,233 538 6.7 KENINGAU 321 1,704 431 5.9 TAMBUNAN 250 1,124 350 5.1 K. BELUD 290 1,261 335 5.1 RANAU 229 995 334 5.6 KUDAT 404 1,421 250 6.6 TELUPID 319 1,036 225 4.6 Source: Lembaga Getah Industri Malaysia Research 107 Sabah Rubber Industry Board (SRIB) <http://www.ligs.sabah.gov.my/>accessed 25 March 2013 30