Interim RM1.5 billion allocation should spur Sabah’s rice industry

1 June 2026

PENAMPANG: The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industries, Datuk Jamawi Jaafar, said he hopes part of the interim additional RM1.5 billion allocation announced by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, will be channelled to strengthen the rice industry in the state.

He said the move is important to raise Sabah’s rice self-sufficiency level, which currently meets only around 20 per cent of the state’s rice needs.

“As Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industries, I am not yet able to celebrate fully because we must raise public awareness that the Kaamatan Festival is a celebration of the padi harvest. Yet in our state we produce only about 20 per cent of our padi. There is much to be done, and many matters to be developed and advocated for in building the padi industry."

“I welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement of the additional interim allocation of RM1.5 billion this year while awaiting the finalisation and determination of the actual special allocation of 40 per cent for Sabah.”

According to Jamawi, the annual Kaamatan Festival is closely linked to the padi industry, which has been the foundation of the celebration for generations.

He said efforts to strengthen the padi sector need serious attention so that the cultural heritage associated with padi cultivation can be preserved.

Accordingly, he hopes that the development of the padi industry will continue to be prioritised in the state’s development agenda, in line with efforts to bolster the agricultural sector and ensure a sustainable food supply for the people of Sabah.

He added that increasing local padi production is not only crucial for ensuring the state’s food security, but can also reduce Sabah’s dependence on rice supplies from outside the state.

“I hope that part of the allocation can be used for the development of the padi industry in Sabah,” he said, speaking to the media at the Opening Ceremony of the Murut Traditional Equipment and Traditional Food Exhibition at the Murut Traditional House Tenom, Hongkod Koisaan KDCA, today.

Also present at the event were the Tenom District Officer, Alexander Liew; Chairman of the Murut Traditional House Tenom, Stanis Buandi; Melalap State Constituency Community Development Leader, Denesly Justin; ADO of the Kemabong Subdistrict, Zakaria Jamal; and members of KDCA Tenom.