SENATE: FOOD SECURITY AMONG FOCUS OF SUPPLY BILL DEBATE

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Food security was among the main issues raised by six debaters on the first day of the debate session on the Supply Bill (Budget) 2026 in the Senate today.

Senator Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof proposed that the government implement high-tech agriculture such as precision farming and vertical farming, which does not require land, to address the country's dependence on food supplies from abroad or imports.

“Young people must be exposed to this kind of agriculture. They do not need to deal with dirt or mud, just dress like scientists, stay inside a cabin or a building while controlling the temperature. That is what precision means. It can be controlled exactly, whether hot or cold.

“The same goes for vertical farming which can save space and use narrow areas for us to explore what is known as high-tech agriculture,” he said.

Commenting on the same matter, Senator Abun Sui Anyit said that in the context of agriculture in Sarawak, the state should be developed as the country’s new rice bowl as it has vast agricultural land with high potential to boost national food security.

He said the allocation channelled to Sarawak’s agricultural sector must be utilised optimally to help rural communities, the majority of whom depend on the sector for their income.

According to him, the Department of Agriculture in Sarawak received an allocation of RM28 million for food security programmes, while the Sarawak Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS) received RM9 million under the same initiative.

“The development of Sarawak’s padi industry, meanwhile, is only allocated RM1.5 million. For me, this is still insufficient, when our aspiration is to make Sarawak a rice bowl, as its land area is still wider compared to Kedah which has long been the country’s rice bowl,” he said.

Also raised during the debate session was a proposal for the government to increase housing and development allocations specifically for the Orang Asli community, including for entrepreneurs and youth of the community.

Senator Manolan Mohamad said government funds must be detailed more precisely for the development of the Orang Asli community and entrepreneurs as many Orang Asli youths still do not own homes, despite allocations having been provided under Budget 2025.

He also proposed that the Commercial Replanting Scheme (TSK) plantations developed by the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) in cooperation with agencies such as Felcra and Risda be handed over to local residents’ committees.

The Senate session resumes tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA