Team work empathised at LPBS visit

27 March 2026

KOTA KINABALU: The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry, Datuk Jamawi Jaafar, paid a visit to the Sabah Paddy and Rice Board (LPBS) at the Meeting Room, LYCH Building.

The visit aimed to engage with LPBS staff and foster friendly relations as part of efforts to strengthen rapport.

During the visit, Jamawi, who is also the Chairman of LPBS, chaired a meeting and discussed various related agendas.

He expressed appreciation for the warm reception and advised staff to remain committed in carrying out their duties.

Jamawi targeted that within the next five years, at least 3,000 hectares of abandoned paddy fields could be reactivated, which would boost Sabah's Local Rice Self-Sufficiency (SSL) to 30 percent in the future.

“Currently, SSL is only 19 percent,” he stated.

He added that this effort requires support and collaboration from all parties, including both State and Federal agencies, to unify these initiatives in realising this aspiration.

Jamawi also emphasised the importance of teamwork among staff, highlighting that colleagues should complement each other rather than compete.

“This is the principle I uphold for all staff and personnel within MAFFI,” he said in a media statement.

Also present were the Permanent Secretary, Datuk Jumain Abdul Ghani; Deputy Permanent Secretary I, Awang Dzulkernain Awang Hassan; and LPBS General Manager, Datuk Dr Ramle Haji Kasin.