KOTA KINABALU: A political economist has urged Putrajaya to back up its talk of making Sabah and Sarawak the nation’s rice bowls with action.
Dr Firdausi Suffian, a senior lecturer at Sabah Universiti Teknologi, pointed out that the proposal to increase rice production in these states had been discussed by previous governments.
Dr Firdausi described the plan to raise Sabah’s rice self-sufficiency level (SSL) to 60% as a long overdue initiative, which had been included in the National Agricultural Plan III under the 10th and 11th Malaysia Plans but had never been realized.
He emphasized the need for a significant budget allocation and for the state Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Industry Ministry to be empowered to lead and coordinate the effort if the Federal Government is serious about this plan.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu had announced on Friday that the government was looking to increase rice production by developing more padi fields in Sabah and Sarawak. He stated that discussions with the Sabah government to implement this plan were ongoing and that it was part of a long-term strategy to ensure sufficient and balanced supply throughout the country.
The Minister acknowledged that the main issue in Sabah was related to irrigation and estimated that it would cost billions of ringgit to address this challenge. However, he stressed the importance of investing in food security and mentioned that approximately 20,234ha of land in Sabah had been designated for growing paddy.
Dr Firdausi argued that providing subsidies alone would not be sufficient. He highlighted the crucial roles of infrastructure and irrigation, particularly in the Kota Belud district, which is considered the rice bowl of Sabah. Dr Firdausi called for the revival of the Sabah Paddy Board as a way to demonstrate support for Sabah’s rice production.
He emphasized that having a plan is important, but effective implementation is key. Dr Firdausi highlighted the role of civil servants as key players in implementing policies, as identified in the 12MP mid-term review. He urged civil servants and policymakers to prioritize executing the plan.
Dr Firdausi also called for the upcoming national budget to allocate specific funds for Sabah to expand its rice production. He emphasized the need to consider various factors that enable the expansion of rice production capacity, such as infrastructure, human resources, and technology.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
