Board revival to boost food production
KOTA KINABALU: The State Cabinet has agreed to revive the Sabah Padi and Rice Board as part of the initiatives to boost food production and ensure food security in the State.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said the revival of the Board was imperative since Sabah currently imports about 70 per cent of its rice needs.
“Sabah needs to boost its food self-sufficiency and we will be able to do it with the revival of the Sabah Padi and Rice Board,” he said.
“The State Cabinet will submit the recommendation to the Head of State for the approval of the establishment of the Sabah Padi and Rice Board as stipulated in Section 3 of the 1981 Agriculture Produce Board Enactment,” he said at the Chief Minister’s Department post-cabinet meeting at Menara Kinabalu on Wednesday.
In a decisive move, the Chief Minister said the State Cabinet has also agreed to give special permission to investors operating in industrial parks in the state to set up power generation facilities for their own use.
“This move is important to attract investors and sustain those already in operation affected by electricity issues,” he said.
Hajiji said in the bid to ease the power demand in Sabah, the Cabinet has also decided to allow shophouses, buildings and residential premises to install solar power systems without seeking approval from Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB).
On the Sabah My Second Home programme (SBH-MM2H), the Cabinet has also approved the age limit of applicants to 30 years above and allowing participants of the programme to sell their property after five years on condition they must purchase a new home valued at no less than RM600,000.
Hajiji said under the new policy, appointment of the SBHMM2H agents must be from local Sabah companies.