Sarawak Paddy and Rice Board urged to drive self-sufficiency, rice reserve, cut import reliance

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, May 13: The establishment of the new Sarawak Paddy and Rice Board must go beyond administrative coordination and become a key pillar in ensuring uninterrupted rice supply for Sarawak, reducing reliance on imports and potentially achieving self-sufficiency or even export capacity.

Political pundit Dato Peter Minos said the new Board must be positioned as a strategic instrument to safeguard long-term food security, including the possible establishment of a State rice reserve to buffer against crises.

The Sarawak Paddy and Rice Board Bill, 2026was passed in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) yesterday (May 12), marking a major policy step aimed at strengthening development, coordination and enhancement of the paddy and rice industry in Sarawak without encroaching on federal jurisdiction.

Minos, who is also Serian District Council (SDC) chairman, said rice should never be taken for granted, describing it as a basic necessity as vital as air and water.

“We all take rice for granted, like the air we breathe and water we drink,” he said, warning that any disruption in supply, whether due to war, natural disasters or epidemics, could have devastating consequences.

He pointed to historical lessons from the Second World War, when food shortages were severe.

“I was told during the second world war from 1941 to 1945, there was a physical shortage of rice. Many suffered and starved. The invading Japanese grabbed the rice at gunpoint and left little for the people,” he said in a statement today.

While stressing that Sarawak is not expecting conflict, he said preparedness must remain a priority in policy planning.

“Now that we have the Sarawak Paddy and Rice Board, let it succeed. Let it ensure enough supply of rice at all times in Sarawak. Maybe it should have a rice reserve. That must be its basic objective,” he added.

Minos also urged Sarawak to fully utilise its agricultural potential, noting the availability of vast tracts of suitable land for paddy cultivation, including both hill and swamp areas.

“Let the Board search and identify the land and once found, develop them for paddy planting and cultivation,” he said.

He said the long-term ambition should be to reduce dependence on rice imports and move towards self-sufficiency, with the possibility of becoming an exporter if production exceeds local needs.

“A day must come when we no longer import rice. We should think of exporting rice, if we have the surplus. If the Board can do that, that will be a big success,” he said.

Under the new legislation, the Board will function as a corporate body with perpetual succession, empowered to manage assets, issue licences, collect fees, appoint experts, conduct research, commercialise findings and advise the government on policy direction. It will also establish a dedicated fund subject to State Cabinet oversight.

Minos further stressed the importance of research and development in paddy cultivation, including improving crop quality, increasing planting cycles and managing plant diseases, while suggesting that actual farming operations should be handled by the private sector.

He described the establishment of the Board as a timely and forward-looking initiative for Sarawak’s agricultural future.

“Once again we see Sarawak got the foresight and the idea. A really good idea on the setting of the Sarawak Paddy and Rice Board. It means a lot for Sarawak, now and the future,” he said. — DayakDaily

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