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KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad says that it would be difficult for him to support appropriations for the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries without a proper explanation on poverty eradication.
While congratulating the government for increasing the ministry’s allocation from RM500,000 to RM1,444bil under the 2021 Budget, the Langkawi MP said it was crucial to implement plans to overcome poverty among farmers and fishermen.
“I find it difficult to support the budget without any explanation on how their poverty will be overcome,” he said while debating the 2021 budget at the committee stage at the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (December 2).
He noted that the ministry’s budget revolved around monetary allocations, but lacked specific improvements to existing agricultural policies to modernize small farmers.
“Small farmers, if allowed to continue in the old ways, will not be able to progress by themselves.
“They will always depend on government subsidies,” he added.
He cited the example of small rubber producers who lacked land compared to large estates and plantations.
“From the data, we must be aware that only large plantations are profitable.
“As long as we depend on the small properties, the small farmers will remain poor and depend on subsidies,” he added.
Dr. Mahathir suggested that small rubber producers merge to form farms of at least 400ha managed by trained professionals.
He also said that fishermen will remain poor if the government’s focus is only to provide them with larger allocations.
He suggested that fishermen get involved in fish farming collectively, as is done in Langkawi.
In his ministerial closing address, Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri, Dr. Ronald Kiandee, said that his ministry is focusing on Malaysia’s upcoming 12th Plan for the modernization of the agricultural sector.
He also noted that RM60mil was allocated in the 2021 budget for the creation of the Agricultural Technology Development Complex.
The budget of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries was subsequently approved by oral vote.
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