Ministry Staff Urged to Champion Kitchen Garden Initiative

31 January 2026

KOTA KINABALU: Officers and staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry (MAFFI) must champion the Kitchen Garden Initiative as part of efforts to strengthen food security and promote self-reliance among the public.

Its Minister Datuk Haji Jamawi Jaafar said the commitment of ministry personnel is crucial to ensure the success of the initiative, particularly in terms of planning, implementation, monitoring and public outreach.

According to him, ministry staff should take the lead as frontliners and ambassadors for the initiative by setting a positive example through direct participation, providing technical support and carrying out effective promotion at the community level.

Jamawi said the Kitchen Garden Initiative should be viewed not merely as a small-scale agricultural project, but as a strategic movement aimed at empowering households, reducing the cost of living and increasing public awareness of basic agricultural practices.

He was speaking at the 2025 Excellent Service Awards (APC) Ceremony held at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru here.

In his speech, Jamawi stressed that the ministry’s achievements in the agriculture, fisheries and food industry sectors depend largely on the efficiency, integrity and dedication of its civil servants.

He noted that excellence should not be measured solely by the achievement of key performance indicators (KPIs), but must also encompass professionalism, efficient service delivery, integrity, accountability and the ability to address public concerns effectively.

He also reiterated the ministry’s zero-tolerance stance towards leakages, negligence and abuse of power, urging recipients of the APC 2025 to serve as role models and sources of inspiration for future generations of civil servants.

Jamawi said the ministry will continue to strengthen human capital development through competency-based training, leadership enhancement and the cultivation of innovation within the public service.

He expressed hope that all ministry personnel would continue to upskill themselves, support the service transformation agenda, embrace teamwork and deliver the highest standard of service to the public.

The APC ceremony also served as a platform to recognise officers and staff who have demonstrated outstanding performance, high integrity and a strong spirit of public service.

Congratulating all recipients of the APC 2025, Jamawi said their achievements reflect a growing culture of excellence and high performance within the ministry. He added that success should serve as a motivation to strive further, rather than as a final destination.

“We do not work merely for awards, but to fulfil our responsibility to the people,” he said.

Also present at the event were Assistant Ministers Datuk Haji Ruslan Muharam and Datuk Hendrus Anding; the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Datuk Leonard Stephen Poyong; Deputy Permanent Secretary (Fisheries and Livestock) and Chairman of the MAFFI 2025 Excellent Service Awards Organising Committee, Maria David Edick; as well as heads of departments and agencies under MAFFI.