THE establishment of the Sarawak Paddy and Rice Board (SPRB) does not indicate that the Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development (M-FICORD) had failed in its responsibilities or lacked focus, but instead reflects the growing complexity and strategic importance of food security today.
Batu Kitang assemblyman Datuk Lo Khere Chiang said modern paddy development now goes beyond conventional agricultural administration, requiring more sophisticated systems and long-term planning.
He said the sector today involves digitalisation, digital monitoring systems for crop management, advanced logistics coordination and strategic planning.
“As the complexity of a sector increases, institutional capacity must also evolve. That is where the board comes in,” he told a press conference at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex here today (May 12).
Lo was responding to remarks by Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen during the debate on the Sarawak Paddy and Rice Board Bill 2026 earlier.
Chong had questioned the RM950 million Agriculture National Key Economic Area (NKEA) paddy cultivation project in Batang Lupar announced in 2013, claiming it had failed to achieve its intended outcomes.
In response, Lo said the establishment of the board reflects institutional strengthening and specialisation, rather than an admission that the ministry was ineffective.
“The ministry remains the overseeing authority to ensure all systems and initiatives are in place, while the board will strengthen implementation capability through a more dedicated and coordinated structure,” he said.
Lo also pointed out that the RM950 million project and related initiatives were funded by the federal government.
“So if Chong says the project failed, then he should refer the matter to the federal government in Parliament,” he said.
He stressed that the current approach under the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government differs as it is driven by Sarawak’s own funding and initiatives.
“Today, we are using our own Sarawak government, our own Sarawak money and our own Sarawak initiatives to improve things under the GPS government,” he added.
Lo also highlighted the success of the rice project in Gedong, the constituency of the Premier, which had been implemented on a trial basis and harvested three times a year.
He said the yield had increased significantly from one tonne to eight tonnes of paddy per acre, demonstrating the effectiveness of Sarawak’s new approach.
“Even if the previous implementation faced challenges, the logical response is not to reject reforms or ridicule new initiatives, but to move forward and adopt better solutions. That is what the Sarawak government is doing by establishing this board,” he said.
