By Nigel Edgar
KUCHING, May 27: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg today denies agreeing to offer some 600,000 hectares (ha) of state land to Putrajaya.
He said he was surprised when he read a news report on a national Malay news portal last night (Link: https://www.bharian.com.my/berita/nasional/2019/05/568326/sarawak-tawarkan-600000-hektar-tanah-untuk-tanaman-selain-sawit ), where Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Datuk Salahuddin Ayub was quoted as saying that Sarawak was offering that sizeable piece of land to the federal government.
“Some 600,000ha is more than a million acres. How can we give away those land?
“I don’t know where they got that figure. With due respect, a lot of miscommunications over at that side (West Malaysia),” said Abang Johari after launching the ‘First Integrated Hydrogen Production Plant, Refueling Station and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles in South East Asia’ at Syarikat Sesco Berhad’s Western Regional Office here.
The news portal also quoted Salahuddin as saying that he would be discussing with Abang Johari this afternoon, during a courtesy call, on this matter as the land had not been replanted with oil palm and needed to be developed.
“Part of the land (sic) I will discuss with Sarawak why not plant corn, which will help us (country). At least 20 per cent of farm feeds to be produced from there,” he was quoted as saying.
Salahuddin is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Abang Johari at 2pm before heading over to Medan Niaga Satok here for a working visit at 4pm. — DayakDaily
