p04 cover story @Forest | July-august, 2020
Bright potential
Gain Green’s Revotropix
Paulownia plantation
business catches
eye of the Deputy
Plantation Industries and
Commodities Minister
Willie Mongin
Gain Green CEO
EL Law presents
a souvenir to
Deputy Minister of
Plantation Industries
and Commodities,
Willie Mongin
(centre) following
his visit to the
Paulownia farm.
(From left to right):
Associate Business
Directors Tern Poi
Lok and Adrian Goh,
Willie, Law and Ng
Chin Long
BY CAMILIA REZALI
Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and
Commodities Willie Mongin made a working
visit recently to Green Afforestation International
Network Sdn Bhd’s (Gain Green)
thriving Revotropix Paulownia plantation
business.
The Deputy Minister was accompanied by
Gain Green CEO EL Law at the Paulownia
farm at the Selangor Fruit Valley in Rawang, Selangor.
Law is also the founder and CEO of Revongen Corporation,
which owns both Gain Green and Green Economy.
Commenting on Willie’s visit, Law said the Deputy Minister
was amazed by the growth of Paulownia.
During his visit to the 80-acre, where there were newlycultivated
Paulownia plants, the Deputy Minister described
the Paulownia plantation business as “very promising”.
Paulownia farming was first initiated by Law who started
THUMBS UP: Willie described the Paulownia
plantation business as ‘very promising’
growing Paulownia trees on his 20-acre land in Rembau,
Negeri Sembilan. But Law noticed the trees stopped growing
after a while. So, he and his team of scientists stepped
up and decided to research the Japan-originated species of
Paulownia and produced new Paulownia clones.
Today, the fast-growing Paulownia has helped the plantation
business to mature with over thousands of acres
around Malaysia. More importantly, it has also helped
address the issue of deforestation in the country.
Gain Green has also initiated a programme called
Project Malaysia Menanam designed to encourage the
rural community to venture into the high-tech agro-green
economy. This smart partnership programme bridges the
private sector and villagers without the involvement of
intermediaries.
It provides an opportunity for the rural community to
turn their deserted and idle land into additional sources of
income by planting Paulownia trees.
The visit by Willie was to see for himself the
development and the immense potential of the Paulownia
business. This business not only opens up opportunities
to the community but also brings greater good to the
environment.
The Development of the Forest Plantation Programme
under the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) has
listed nine species of trees as a source for raw materials
and to ensure its continuous availability for the domestic
timber industry. — @Forest
RTM2 features
Paulownia scientist
BIOTech entrepreneur EL Law has
captured the attention of RTM2, featuring
him and the success story of his Paulownia
plantation business which started in 2015.
Law, who is founder of Green Afforestation
International Network Sdn Bhd (Gain
Green), has come a long way by expanding
his Revotropix Paulownia plantation
business rapidly through the years. The
company now owns thousands of acres
of Paulownia plantations throughout the
country.
Through its TV slot, Galeri Nasional
Mandarin entitled ‘EL Law’s Forest of
Hope’, Law shared on how the business
was brought to the field and how Paulownia
plantations can flourish to its highest
potential.
According to Law, Revotropix Paulownia
plantation is considered a new
business venture in Malaysia and the
first batch of young Paulownia plants was
imported from Japan by his friend who
started the Paulownia plantation for some
time. When Law decided to continue the
research on Paulownia plants which was
passed down by his friend, it led to a successful
discovery of Paulownia clones able
to adapt to the weather in Malaysia.
“The uniqueness of this Paulownia
Gain Green founder
EL Law shared his
experience with
RTM2 viewers on
his successful
Paulownia plantation
business
Behind the SCENES: The
production team’s recording session
tree lies on its big-sized leaves. It is why
it can absorb a greater amount of CO2 as
compared to other trees, which is 20 times
higher,” he shared.
Besides that, Law shared that this
species of Paulownia can proliferate as
compared to other trees.
“Normally, trees will take a long time to
mature, such as rubber trees, which takes
15 years to mature. Nonetheless, Paulownia
only needs three and a half years. That
is why it is called Revotropix,” said Law.
Its ability to regenerate makes the
plantation business highly remunerative.
On top of that, it also complies to the
demand of the timber market. Marking
its quality trait as a light, soft and elastic
wood, it is suitable for the making of
timber products.
Law told RTM2: “For now, we are still
spearheading the unique quality of this
tree. We are working on research on the
usage of this wood. The plantation will
be an added advantage for investors or
anyone who wants to plant it because it
produces excellent returns.
Gain Green’s Paulownia plantation
business is slowly cropping up in almost
every state in Malaysia. However, the numbers
are still not able to produce products
on a large scale. Due to this, Law is aiming
for one million trees planted per month,
starting next year.
“The awareness among the community
in looking after the environment is on the
rise. We hope this initiative will become
an alternative to the supply chain of the
wood industry, which has never been
spearheaded before,” said Law.
It will allow Gain Green to vanguard
the plantation of Revotropix Paulownia
in Malaysia. And having RTM2 feature
Gain Green’s business is testament to the
successful growth of the Paulownia business.
— @Forest