BY AMYRA VARKISA & NATASHA JEE
SIBU: Dayak communities have the potential to be the main producers of food for local and international markets.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said however such potential can be achieved only if the Dayak people knew how to monetise their land as the source of the food industry.
“If we work on our land by using new technologies, we will be the leading food producers for the world market.
“From a socio-economic point of view, our people who have land have a bright future on the condition they must be able to use technology and modern farming,” he said when officiating at the 5th Triennial Delegates Conferences (TDC) of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) yesterday.
Abang Johari shared that there were a few ways to further develop the food industry by using new technologies.
“We can produce it either through fertigation or hydroponics and I think using this way then the Dayak society can be a major producer of food because you got the land,” he said.
He further mentioned that nowadays technologies, even trees, could grow faster.
“We don’t want to disturb our permanent forest but we encourage planted forest. With these technologies, we can further develop rubber or wood products.
“You can do both and this is our initiative to further develop our food basket,” he said.
Abang Johari pointed out when he was Minister of Housing and Urbanisation, he noticed that one of the problems usually faced by the Bumiputera was lack of technological infrastructure.
“The problem of the Bumiputera is that there is no equipment and which is why I discussed with the Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) back then.
“Why not we give you money as seed capital to buy the machines and rent them out. And the same goes for the garden, we rent out equipment for use at gardens,” he said.
Abang Johari stressed that the Sarawak government wanted to change the economic landscape.
“We have the land, and if it’s not developed then there’s no point,” he said.
