Pending rep urges audit of paddy projects, clear roadmap to boost S’wak rice self-sufficiency as past efforts fall short

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, June 13: Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong has called on the Sarawak government to conduct a full audit of all major paddy cultivation projects and to present a clear, measurable roadmap to boost the State’s rice self-sufficiency, following years of underwhelming outcomes from high-profile initiatives.

Responding to a recent statement by Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom warning of a looming rice supply crisis if exports from Vietnam and India are disrupted, Yong said the concern highlights a far deeper, longstanding structural issue of Sarawak’s overreliance on imported rice.

“After decades of development, Sarawak’s rice self-sufficiency still remains low, hovering around 38–40 per cent. This is despite numerous initiatives and repeated commitments to strengthen local rice production,” she said in a statement today.

She claimed that multiple large-scale efforts have failed to deliver on their promises, citing the Mini Estate paddy schemes in Sungai Tulai and Sungai Tekap (Meradong), spanning 662 hectares, which were officially acknowledged as failures with no meaningful output. Likewise, the Jelapang Padi Batang Lupar project announced in 2013 has remained largely dormant for over a decade with no visible results.

“Traditional paddy areas in Samarahan and Sri Aman continue to struggle with poor irrigation, lack of mechanisation, and minimal follow-through. These are not isolated issues but systemic failures in planning, execution and accountability,” she alleged.

While welcoming new efforts like Gelombang Padi and AgriHub@Gedong, Yong warned that such initiatives remain “promising on paper only” without clear, publicly available data to measure their impact.

“There must be transparency, particularly in terms of actual yields, hectares genuinely cultivated, and the sustainability of these projects. Without hard performance data, these programmes risk becoming more headline-driven exercises lacking meaningful outcomes,” she stressed.

Yong called on the Sarawak government to immediately conduct a comprehensive audit of all major paddy initiatives launched since 2010 and publish data on current rice production and outcomes of State-led schemes.

She also called for the outline of a clear, results-oriented plan to raise Sarawak’s rice self-sufficiency to at least 60 per cent in the near term.

As Sarawak moves forward, she stressed that food security must not be treated as an afterthought or a reactive response during global supply shocks.

“It is essential that the Sarawak government goes beyond repeated announcements and shifts focus to consistent execution, robust monitoring, and real support for farmers, especially in rural areas.

“It requires clear direction, long-term commitment and genuine collaboration. Sarawak must plan with foresight, not scramble in crisis,” she concluded. — DayakDaily

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