KUCHING: Sarawak is advancing rapidly compared to the rest of Malaysia, especially in its push for food security.
“Sarawak is running a little too fast for Malaysia,” said Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap.
“I hope that as we move forward, the country will catch up,” he added, citing Sarawak’s progressive policies and advanced initiatives.
Towards this end he said federal laws need to be amended to keep pace with Sarawak’s swift advancements, particularly in agricultural practices and legal frameworks.
“Sarawak laws are more advanced than Malaysian laws,” said Yap in making the call.
“To ensure that the programme and policies we are developing can move forward, Malaysia needs to amend its laws,” he said.
Yap was giving his views at Swinburne Sarawak’s SDG Carnival 2024 here Wednesday (Oct 23).
On the issue of food security, he stressed that it is not just about food quantity but also quality, accessibility, and sustainability.
In urban areas, he pointed out stark inequalities in access to food, citing his constituency of Kota Sentosa, where affluent areas are only minutes away from less fortunate communities.
“Our goal is to ensure that no one is left behind when we talk about food security,” he said.
He went on to call for collaborative efforts between the government, NGOs, the private sector, and the community to tackle food security.
“The challenge of food security cannot be addressed by the government alone. It requires the involvement of everyone,” he said.
On the importance of action over vision, he noted that while ambitious goals are necessary, it is crucial to break them down into achievable steps.
He added that there’s a need to teach the younger generation to set small, realistic goals.
“There isn’t a need for grandiose visions. Start with small steps, and progress will follow.”
Yap urged the younger generation to take responsibility for their future by innovating and finding solutions to emerging problems.
“The older generation may no longer be around to meet your needs in the future. You will have to innovate, identify problems, and come up with solutions,” he remarked.
