Kuching: The warning by Sarawak’s Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development, Dato Sri Dr. Stephen Rundi Utom, about a potential rice supply crisis if exports from Vietnam and India are disrupted has drawn strong concern from Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong Wui Wui.
Violet Yong said the Minister’s recent statement highlights a deeper, longstanding issue: Sarawak’s heavy dependence on imported rice, with local self-sufficiency still at just 38–40%.
“Despite decades of development and multiple high-profile initiatives, Sarawak has not made meaningful progress in building a resilient rice production system,” Violet Yong said in a statement.
She pointed to several significant projects that have underdelivered.
1. The Mini Estates in Sungai Tulai and Sungai Tekap (Meradong), which span 662 hectares, were acknowledged as failures.
2. The much-touted Jelapang Padi Batang Lupar project, launched in 2013, remains inactive mainly over a decade later.
“Even traditional padi schemes in Samarahan and Sri Aman continue to grapple with the same unresolved issues – poor irrigation, lack of mechanisation, and weak state support.
“These are not one-off setbacks; they reveal systemic flaws in planning, implementation, and accountability,” she added.
While new programmes like Gelombang Padi and AgriHub@Gedong have been introduced, Violet Yong expressed scepticism about their actual impact.
“We need transparency. The government must publish real data – how many hectares are cultivated? What are the actual yields? Are these projects truly sustainable or just headline-driven?” she questioned.
To address these issues, Violet Yong proposed three immediate actions for the state government:
1. Conduct a comprehensive audit of all major padi cultivation projects since 2010;
2. Disclose rice production data and progress from recent state-led initiatives;
3. Develop and present a measurable roadmap to raise Sarawak’s rice self-sufficiency to at least 60% in the near term.
Violet Yong stressed that food security cannot be reactive or superficial.
“It demands consistent execution, genuine farmer support, and long-term vision. The state must act now – not just plan, but deliver,” she said.
As global uncertainties grow, she urged the government to treat rice production not as a public relations exercise but as a national priority with tangible outcomes for rural communities and future generations.
