Kota Kinabalu: Sabah should negotiate with the Federal Government to break Bernas’ rice monopoly and allow the proposed Sabah Paddy Board to take over, said Senator Datuk John Ambrose.
“Bernas has been raking millions of ringgit in profits by importing rice from other countries and neglecting local paddy farmers.
“Eventually local paddy farmers just give up. That is why Sabah’s rice self-sufficiency level (SSL) is at 22 per cent while 78 per cent of the State’s rice needs are met by imports from China, Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan as mentioned by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor,” he said.
Ambrose, who is also Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS) Supreme Council Member, said he fully supports Hajiji’s move to revive the Sabah Paddy Board.
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Ambrose said Hajiji’s farsightedness in reviving the Board will go a long way in ensuring the State would have sufficient rice one day.
“Before, millions of ringgit for the improvement of irrigation system were announced for padi-planting areas such as Kota Belud but today not many know what happened…whether the millions spent has bought about the desired results,” he said.
Ambrose, who is also Fama Corp Chairman, said:
“In most areas such as Penampang, the State Government stopped the conversion of paddy fields for other development.
“However, many paddy fields have been left idle as the older generation obviously could not handle the task anymore due to their age while the younger generation is not keen.
“With the proposed Sabah Paddy Board, these idle paddy fields could be revived with the assistance of the Board. The Federal Government should also pump in allocations to assist Sabah paddy farmers,” he said.
Ambrose said there is no reason why Sabah could not achieve rice self-sufficiency as the State has vast land, not including the many abandoned paddy fields all over the State.
“But first, the State Government has to get rid of Bernas which is the stumbling block. Hopefully the Federal Government will let Sabah manage the rice trade as well as pumping allocations to ensure the success of Sabah’s padi industry,” he said.
Ambrose, who is also Yayasan Bumiputra Sabah (YBS) Chairman, said once the Board is set up, its officials should go to rice producing countries like Vietnam, China and Thailand to learn from them.
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