Dr Rundi (third left) looking at an exhibit at the Pomtec 2025 in Miri today.

MIRI (Feb 19): The Sarawak government plans to establish a dedicated drainage and irrigation department (DID) specifically for agriculture to enhance food security, said Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.

The State Minister of Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development said this initiative was proposed by Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg as part of the state’s long-term strategy for food security.

“So, padi is something that we are very concerned about, because we have to improve the production, we have to improve the cycle, and we have to use mechanisation. With that, we must have very complete and near-perfect irrigation and drainage.

“Therefore, the Premier suggested that we should have a DID specifically for agriculture. We call it Farm DID.

“Of course, there is already another DID which is looking after downtown drainage and so on, otherwise, we’re facing floods all the time. That’s different.

“My ministry will be looking after the Farm DID,” he told reporters when met after officiating at the closing of Palm Oil Management, Technology, Exhibition and Conference (Pomtec) 2025 at Pullman Hotel here today.

Also present were state Ministry of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development permanent secretary Datu Sirai Daha; Malaysian Palm Oil Berhad (MPOB) director general Datuk Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir; Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (Soppoa) chairman Eric Kiu Kwong Seng and Soppoa chief executive officer Dr Felix Moh.

Dr Rundi emphasised that ensuring food security means being prepared to face any food shortages for at least six months.

“So here, we’re talking about rice, which is staple food, and of course other food also which is maybe not as essential as rice,” he said.

At the moment, he said, his ministry has identified 14,000 hectares of land for padi cultivation.

“We have the existing land for padi, and some of those lands are already converted into other crops, which we have no control over. The only ones that have been gazetted are in Limbang and Lawas,” he said.

To encourage farmers, Dr Rundi said the state government is offering incentives to boost padi production.

“Looking at the way things are, it is an output incentive. Output incentive means the more you produce, the better incentive you get from the state government.

“In Taiwan, they have a farmer’s organisation. They do the planting for the landowners. We can do the same. We have PPKs (area farmers’ organisations),” he said.

Currently, Sarawak’s self-sufficiency level (SSL) for padi stands at 32 per cent, with the remainder being imported, he added.

“Bernas is doing the importation for us but we want to reduce that. The deficit between import and export (of food) is RM5.7 billion, that’s big money,” he said further.

On another note, Dr Rundi said the state government will not open new state land for oil palm plantations due to the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

“The focus will be more on native customary right (NCR) land. We want NCR because we need to help the people in our area, to at least utilise their land for better economic, social economy, better economy.

“As of now, there is no decision yet from the European Union (on NCR land), so we just continue to do what we need to do.

“Because if that is roped out of us, there will be no economic return for people in rural areas. That is as good as killing us,” he said.