KUCHING: The Sarawak government is ready to cooperate with any parties to develop state land which is no longer used for the planting of oil palm. The land is not for sale.
This was revealed by Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub after a courtesy call on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg at the latter’s office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here yesterday.
Salahuddin had claimed on Sunday that the Sarawak government was offering 600,000 hectares of state land, which had not been replanted with oil palm and needed to be developed, to any interested parties including the federal government.
However, the chief minister yesterday morning denied the allegation, saying that it was due to miscommunications from the other party.
“We acknowledge that the Sarawak government meant to develop the said land to introduce cash crops and is open for cooperation with any parties,” he said.
Salahuddin also mentioned that the Council of Eminent Persons chairman Tun Abdul Daim Zainuddin after discussions with the Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad had written to Abang Johari, requesting for land to be developed for various crops.
“With that, Abang Johari has announced that he will be approving 2,000 acres of land for the first phase of the development in Lingga, Sri Aman.
“This is a good effort to assist Sarawak and the country to export local crops,” he said.
Salahuddin added that he would immediately proceed with the matter so that suitable crops to be planted could be determined as soon as possible.
When asked about the profit distribution of the cooperation between the federal and the state governments, Salahuddin said that it would be discussed later.
Touching on the amendment of the Farmers’ Organisation (Amendment) Regulations 2019 in Malaya, Salahuddin clarified that it would not affect Sarawak in any way.
“When it comes to Sabah and Sarawak, it will be done through the way of Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.
Also present were Native Land Development Assistant Minister Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn, Agriculture Assistant Minister Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) deputy secretary general Dr Zunika Mohamed.
