KUCHING: A self-regulation approach which is more ‘pragmatic’ rather than too much government regulation has been proposed to ensure the success of the sago industry.
Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh (PBS-Bawang Asan) said self-regulation was more flexible and less costly.
“Afterall, the industry players know themselves better and have greater experience and efficiency, rather than civil service bureaucrats who might not have hands-on experience and are more procedure-driven,” he said when debating on the Sago and Nipah Development Board Bill 2022 in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today.
Also, incentives could be given for compliance to leverage on the collective experience rather than duplication at agency level, he said.
Wong also proposed an in-depth assessment on the actual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to the sago, nipah and rubber industries, if that had not already been done.
“May these findings and recommendations be incorporated into the ordinance for a better and more effective regulation of the related industries without compromising on ethics and good governance.”
Wong said Sarawak exported 42,000 tonnes of dry sago starch valued more than RM89 million, thus making sago the fourth highest agricultural revenue earner for the state after oil palm, pepper and rubber.
Mukah division, which is the hub of commercial sago production in Sarawak, accounted for 85 per cent of 40,641 hectares of the total sago acreage.
“Ideally, consolidating two of Sarawak’s agricultural commodities under one single entity, namely the Sago and Nipah Industry Board will give pace to the growth of sago production and nipah palm cultivation throughout the region.
“We have no qualms about sago and nipah smallholders, especially from the Dalat and from the Mukah division, benefiting from this and uplifting their livelihood and increasing productivity and revenue for Sarawak. More so, post-COVID-19 with lives and livelihood greatly affected by the pandemic,” he said.
Wong also raised the issues of the lack of participation among rural youth in the sago industry which he said needed an in-depth study as it affected the future of the industry.
“The current ageing smallholders and workers in the sago-related cottage industry suggests that rural youth must take over the jobs of their parents in the upstream and downstream sectors of the sago industry.
“Data (2018 figures) showed that out of 171,192 farmers registered with the Sarawak Area Farmers’ Association (PPK), youth comprised 20,543 or a total of 12 per cent and overall, the total number is increasing compared with the figures in 2017, where the total farmers were 168,000,” he said.
Wong said youth had shown interest in more appealing agriculture sectors including pepper, oil palm and honey processing and sidelined sago and nipah, as these cash crops were not in the top list.
“Furthermore, rural youth have more job options in the service and manufacturing sectors as a result of urbanisation. Moreover, education has allowed them to obtain technical and professional jobs.
“On the other hand, the ‘internal constraints’ factor refers to the challenges that exist within the specific agriculture sector.”
Wong noted that the common constraints faced by smallholders were lack of infrastructure, credit access and land ownership.
However, innovation in farming methods and mechanisation in performing daily tasks as a result of technology advancement in agriculture might slowly change the stigma and ease the working condition, he noted.
“Sago cultivation is occupied by 46,768 hectares of smallholders ‘ land and a small number of mini-estates of 4,750 hectares with a total of 51,518 hectares in 2017; these figures did not achieve the targeted plan that had been set up in 2006,” he said.
According to Mukah Division’s Strategic Development Plan 2006-2010, a total of 53,538 hectares of sago were targeted by the end of the 9th Malaysian Plan in 2010.
Wong said the estate plantation scheme established in 1987 that targeted 250,000 hectares of sago plantation by the end of 2020 was far from the goal.
