Junz
KOTA KINABALU (Oct 27): Parti Warisan Vice President and former Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Junz Wong has questioned the credibility and logic behind Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu’s recent claim that Pitas has become Sabah’s “food security stronghold”, describing it as a politically motivated statement timed ahead of the coming state election.
Junz opined that the Federal Agriculture and Food Security Ministry’s decision to introduce a paddy cultivation scheme in Pitas — a district widely known for its poor irrigation and frequent droughts — is fundamentally flawed and inconsistent with the area’s agricultural realities.
“Why did the ministry consider it fit to introduce a paddy cultivation scheme in Pitas, which is clearly less viable compared to cash crops like pineapple, coconut and durian, or even more economically sustainable industries like bird nest farming?” he asked.
Junz also questioned the credibility and proportionality of Mohamad Sabu’s remarks, saying the facts simply do not support such grand claims.
“Was it justified for the minister to cite the so-called ‘progress’ of the Paddy Estate Modernisation Project (MEP) — which has merely expanded from three to six plots — without even disclosing the exact plot size, to claim that Pitas has become Sabah’s food security stronghold?”
“And even if two tractors and one rubber truck worth nearly RM1 million were provided, can that alone truly transform Pitas into a food security hub for Sabah?” he questioned in a statement on Monday.
Junz said the claim is technically implausible, given that Pitas lacks a functioning irrigation network, making the alleged doubling of yields from three to six metric tonnes per hectare per season highly questionable.
“Without proper irrigation and water management, such yield improvement is impossible. These are political optics, not agricultural breakthroughs,” he stressed.
He further pointed out that the Sabah state government has long recognised Terusan Sapi in Beluran District — not Pitas — as one of Sabah’s main food-producing zones since 1979, due to its suitable soil and irrigation for large-scale paddy cultivation.
“Even when Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal was Chief Minister, he reaffirmed Terusan Sapi’s potential to be a major food producer and exporter of rice. The project there dates back to the 1970s because the land and water conditions are right — unlike Pitas,” Junz said.
He added that it was the Warisan-led state government under Shafie’s leadership in 2020 that first mooted the revival of the Sabah Padi Board to reform and strengthen rice production policy based on scientific and economic feasibility.
He said that under Warisan, agricultural initiatives were strategic and sustainable, not politically driven.
He cited for example, when Warisan invited Linaco Manufacturing (M) Sdn Bhd to undertake a large-scale coconut plantation in Pitas, it targeted at least 30,000 acres, with production of 500,000 coconuts per day for downstream processing.
“That was designed to guarantee farmers’ income — a real plan, not a publicity stunt,” he said.
He also highlighted Warisan’s ‘Sentuhan Burung Walit’ programme — part of the rural economy revitalisation plan — which built 150 bird houses for free for farmers in Pitas, enabling them to generate steady income with minimal maintenance costs.
“Many of these farmers are still enjoying financial benefits from bird nest production today — that is the kind of long-term impact Warisan aimed for,” he said.
Junz said the current government’s attempt to brand Pitas as a “food security stronghold” is symbolic branding designed for political mileage, not grounded in actual agricultural success.
“These are pre-election theatrics meant to project the image of federal concern for rural Sabahans. But Sabahans can see through these empty gestures,” he said.
He urged the federal government to respect facts, science, and local realities, and to stop misleading Sabahans, especially rural communities, with election-season propaganda.
“Sabah deserves credible planning, not political spin dressed as progress,” Junz concluded.
On Saturday, Mohamad Sabu said Pitas is being hailed as a key stronghold for Malaysia’s food security, with his ministry focused on modernizing its farming sector to boost national rice self-sufficiency.
The minister expressed his admiration for the progress of the Paddy Estate Modernisation Project (MEP) in Pitas, where the initiative has expanded from three to six plots. Yields have doubled, jumping from three to six metric tonnes per hectare per season.
“Pitas has great potential. The farmers here are dedicated, and with continued collaboration between the federal and state governments, we can increase output even further,” he said during a working visit to the district.
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