Launch charts a first in Jatropha

Wed, Jan 30, 2008
The Star

KOTA KINABALU, MALAYSIA: Jatropha biodiesel fuel was used for the first time yesterday in a Toyota Land Cruiser in the country.

Appropriately, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was the one chosen at the Sabah Development Corridor Expo to fill the vehicle with the biodiesel fuel derived from Jatropha curcas seeds planted in Sabah on a trial basis.

The Jatropha curcas tree is native to Central America and the Caribbean and its seeds yield a non-edible oil, utilised to make biodiesel fuel.

Briefing the Prime Minister on how the fuel could be used without making any changes to vehicles, Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB) officials said that the Jatropha biodiesel fuel had been successfully used in India.

SLDB general manager Jhuvarri Majid said that their immediate plans were to cultivate a 10ha plot of land together with Malaysia-India partners Borneo Alam Ria Biomatrix (Sabah) Sdn Bhd to ensure sufficient seedlings as well as transfer of technology.

Jhuvarri said that SLDB was planning to cultivate Jatropha on a commercial basis as they believed it could help in eradicating poverty in Sabah.

"People in the interior can work six-acre plots of land provided by SLDB and can earn at least RM1,500 a month," he said.

He said three companies - Nihon Biotech Inc (Japan), Kelana Stabil Sdn Bhd (a US-based company) and TKM Resources Sdn Bhd (A South Korea-based company) - were keen to be involved in the Jatropha industry.

The three companies, which have promised to buy the fuel for export to their respective countries, hope to inject about RM300mil into Jatropha cultivation if land was provided.

They believe that the Jatropha curcas could be planted in interior areas of Tambunan, Keningau, Tenom and Nabawan to help poor farmers overcome poverty.