Baru: Special unit on modernising agriculture to be set up

0

Baru (sixth right) and Willie (fifth right) seen with men dressed in traditional Dayak attires during the ceremony yesterday.

KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Federal Cabinet is setting up a special unit that will focus on modernising the agricultural sector nationwide, disclosed Works Minister Baru Bian.

He said the special unit is under the Prime Minister’s Department and will be led by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“I told the Prime Minister that Sarawak and Sabah have the potential for agricultural development and he agreed. This is because I said that of all the states in Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak have a lot of land for agriculture,” he told reporters after the opening ceremony of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Stakan Office here yesterday.

According to Baru, the decision was made by the Cabinet two weeks ago and he had volunteered to be involved in the unit.

With the setting up of the unit, Baru believed that Sarawak will be able to see more lands being opened up for agriculture and it will also boost the state’s tourism industry due to the state’s many beautiful and yet to be explored places of interest.

“The area where I am from, for example, has scenic view. What is needed is for roads to be built there first to open up land for agriculture while the area can also serve as tourist spot,” he said.

Also present during the ceremony were Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin, Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How, PKR Kota Samarahan communication chief Numpang Suntai and other party officials.