Sarawak seeks to become Malaysia's next 'rice bowl', rivalling Kedah

Sarawak is hoping to become the next “rice bowl” of Malaysia, rivalling Kedah state in becoming the country’s top rice producer, as the federal government continues to grapple with low rice production and supply.

- Hazlin Hassan

Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg said on June 11 that the state needs RM1 billion (S$288 million) for the project and that he has asked for the funds from the federal government so as to embark on large-scale rice cultivation and irrigate 10,000ha of land – or about 20 times the size of Singapore’s Sentosa island.

The Sarawak government is willing to match any funding from Putrajaya on a one-to-one basis, said Tan Sri Abang Johari, adding that he had discussed the matter with federal Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu.

“I requested, if possible, for the federal government to chip in. Because of the amount (of money), he said he has to refer to the Prime Minister (Anwar Ibrahim), who is also the Finance Minister,” he said.

“We are still following up on this. But we are ready to give one-to-one. If you give RM500 million, we give RM500 million,” Mr Abang Johari was quoted as saying by The Star daily.

The land earmarked for rice cultivation is located in the Stumbin, Lingga and Tanjung Bijat areas in the Sri Aman district in Sarawak, Malaysia’s biggest state by land area.

To boost rice production, he said the state plans to make the best use of equipment and technology – such as drone-spraying fertiliser and pest control, using high-yielding hybrid seeds and more mechanical harvesting methods – to yield 240,000 tonnes of rice from the allocated land.