Tuaran: The Sabah Bumiputra Farmers and Stockbreeders Association (Petanah) wants the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Government to consider reopening the Kiulu Agriculture Department branch office which has been closed for over 30 years.
Its President Gaibin Ransoi said its revival is necessary to address uncertainty surrounding food security, especially supply and rising prices for imported goods.
He said there are also still many villagers who require guidance on proper agricultural practices, including the cultivation of crops like Musang King durian which can yield decent returns.
Gaibin said some villagers attempted to grow Musang King durian but had not succeeded due to a lack of experience rather than negligence.
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Gaibin also proposed that Kiulu Assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau allocate a portion of their budgets to purchase high-quality durian seeds.
He said this should include Musang King seeds and should be distributed to villagers who are in extreme poverty or fall under the B40 category, as an initiative to lift Kiulu residents out of poverty.
Gaibin said there are still Kiulu children who are unable to attend events such as convocation outside of Kiulu due to financial constraints, such as transportation costs.
He said reopening the Kiulu Agriculture Department branch office would contribute significantly to the overall development and welfare of the region.
Gaibin believed that the reopening of the department is both suitable and timely, given that Kiulu now holds the status of a sub-district.
Furthermore, he suggested that once the revived Sabah Paddy Board (LPS) is fully operational, Kiulu should consider establishing an LPS branch office to further enhance rice cultivation, particularly hill rice.
On the other hand, Petanah welcomed the Madani Government’s initiative in creating the Data Base System (Padu), recently launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Gaibin said implementing Padu was highly appropriate as it aligns with the government’s policy of being frugal in every expenditure, thereby reducing the burden on the National Treasury.
He said Padu would ensure that low-income individuals would not be excluded from subsidy assistance, considering the rising costs of living.
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