"The Chief Minister of the northern Malaysian state of Kedah is clear about his immediate priority for the state - to save nearly 16,000 square metres (4,000 acres) of rice fields by relocating a major oil refinery project. For Kedah's new Chief Minister Ustaz Azizan, it is business as usual in the state despite the change of government. Besides meeting visitors to discuss investment opportunities, his top priority is to fulfill the promises made in the party's election manifesto. One of them was to move a multi-billion dollar oil refinery project, which was to have been built on rice fields, to the offshore area.
Ustaz Azizan said he would like to protect the livelihood of paddy farmers. He also wants to place greater emphasis on food security in the state and the whole of Malaysia. He said he managed to get the investors, who had already spent money on initial work, to agree to move the project to an offshore area. He added that though the cost of the mega project now has gone up from 16 billion US dollars to 25 billion US dollars, the investors have agreed to move it away from the rice fields."
Kedah is the 'rice bowl' of Malaysia. I feel its rice fields should continue to be reaped as rice field especially at this time of rice shortage problem.
Don't get me wrong, we Malaysian are not in for development or having multibillion dollars project. But it is a question of time and priority now and not a question who is holding the sticks of authority.
My inner-voice still probes - Is saying 'yes' to rice field, and 'no' to multibillion dollars project the answer to our rice shortage?? OR are we protecting or jeopardising the likelihood of out paddy farmers??
Another good news I heard from Radio Thailand International on 8th May 2008, and Radio Singapore International on 10th May 2008 that says the PM of Thiland has agreed to sell 500,000 tons of rice to Malaysia (we have already received 200,000 tons, another 300,000 will be delivered soon). This helps to stabilize our rice stock and is a relief to us - Malaysian.
Bravo to our Thai neighbours!
4 comments:
i totally agree on maintaining kedah as malaysia's rice bowl. in this period of time, gaining rice is much more important to malaysia than oil.. but i'm also pleased to hear that our government are doing their best in maintaining our rice stock :D
Malaysia has a young growing population which can be utilise to sustain its own rice production.So its high time Malaysia should mobilise its youth back to farming using modern farming
Manley,Singapore
rice is the staple food for asian contries n malaysia is one of them.The rakyat got to remember they cant be forever depending on neighbours to bail them out from their rice insuffieciency. Thailand would also be facing rice shortage one day cos this is a global problem as the result from the world climatic change.So it is better late than never to be prepared
Greetings my concern friend..I have some news to share with you about some measures taken to solve malaysian rice problem as reported in the THE STAR papers dated 19/5/08...
`The Muda Agriculture Development Authority (MADA)will receive RM602 million from the Federal Government to implement a 3 years plan to increase rice production in Kedah.
MADA chairman,Datuk Seri Mahadzir Khalid said it would get RM 91.1 million this yr,RM243.9 mil. next yr.and the balance in 2010.
The allocation will be used to manage and maintain irrigation system as well as conserve the quality of soil for padi cultivation.
MADA plans to gazette an additional 2,730 ha of padi land in Kubang Pasu,Kota Setar,Pendang and Yan district into MADA.These land is currently under the purview of the Drainage & Irrigation Department `
Hopefully this can be a mean to the end for the rakyat dependency on Thailand rice... go go gooooooo Malaysia
My Voice in VOICES FROM FAR
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