KUALA LUMPUR – The government has channelled RM330.9 million in development allocation for Sarawak under the 11th Malaysian Plan (11MP) which ends this year.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry I Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah said the distribution of the allocation was based on the five-year Rolling Plan (RP), beginning with RP1 in 2016 to RP4 in 2020.
He said the ministry, through the Agricultural Irrigation and Drainage Division (BPSP), had carried out several programmes for the development of agricultural infrastructure in Sarawak through the 11MP.
“Sarawak has huge potential and is able to contribute to the increase in national food production. This is significant with the establishment of four new IADAs (Integrated Agricultural Development Areas) with focus on padi, including the Batang Lupar IADA in Sarawak.
“To ensure the direction is achieved, MAFI places high commitment and effort in the planning, building and upgrading of agricultural infrastructure facilities throughout the country, including in Sarawak," he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat (GPS-Betong) on the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry’s efforts and direction in developing agriculture infrastructure and drainage programmes in Sarawak and the total allocation disbursed to the state under the 11MP.
Ahmad said the ministry also channelled an allocation of RM6.7 million under the Economic Stimulus Package (PRE) 2020 to several implementing agencies, such as the Sarawak Irrigation and Drainage Department and all IADAs in the state.
The fund was channelled to carry out maintenance work on existing agricultural infrastructure and roads in Sarawak, he added. – Bernama, November 12, 2020
