By Remy Majangkim
KOTA KINABALU: Brothers and sisters of Sabah, A new chapter begins with Datuk Jamawi Jaafar as our Agriculture Minister.
His vision of the kitchen garden is more than a policy—it is a return to the wisdom of our ancestors, who planted sustenance around their homes and raised livestock with care.
It is a call for every household to become a fortress of self-sufficiency, a garden of dignity, a living shield against rising costs.
Datuk Jamawi, gifted with green fingers like the indigenous hands of Sabah, now carries the mantle of responsibility.
His years of experimentation on his own land have prepared him for this moment. This is his chance to transform our agricultural landscape and inscribe a legacy worthy of remembrance.
But let us speak plainly: Sabah pays more for food than Malaya, despite our fertile lands. Why? Because the lifeblood of farming—animal feed—has been chained by monopolies.
Before the pandemic, a 50kg bag cost RM85–RM110. After lockdown, it soared to RM140–RM170, and never returned. Farmers were punished, yet the people still suffer.
We know the truth: feed is made of corn, fish, and vegetables. Sabah has fish. Sabah has vegetables. Corn lies just across the waters in the Philippines and Indonesia.
What we lack is not resources, but the will to build industry and technology at scale. The State must rise, not bow. We must demand accountability, and we must declare: no more monopolies, no more excuses.
And there is another wound to heal—the Sabah Padi Board. Constitutionally, we have the right to manage our rice. Yet Bernas centralized control, stripping Sabah of its sovereignty over food.
It is time to reclaim that right. With seedlings and techniques from our neighbors in Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia, we can become the rice bowl of Asia.
Imagine barren lands reborn into fertile fields. Imagine youth finding purpose in agriculture, not despair. Imagine Sabah feeding itself, feeding others, and standing tall.
Datuk Jamawi, you hold the pen of destiny. You stand at the crossroads of history. Surpass your snollygoster predecessor.
Write a legacy of courage, of sovereignty, of abundance. Let Sabah rise as a land of gardens, granaries, and green hands.
