By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 28: Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has hinted that a hybrid rice expert from Wuhan, China may personally come and help Sarawak with its paddy cultivation project.
Abang Johari was speaking about the pilot project for paddy cultivation in a one hectare-site in Lubok Punggor, Gedong using hybrid paddy seeds from Vietnam which showed promising results of paddy harvest within three months and larger number of yields.
“Alhamdulillah, the one who made this hybrid seed came from Wuhan, China. The expert had sent the seed to Vietnam for paddy cultivation and from there, Vietnam became the major producer of rice.
“Today, the professor (expert) wants to come to Sarawak personally from China to see the cultivation project because he heard about our success so he wanted to come and help the State produce more rice,” he said during the Sarawak Civil Service Innovation Convention Awards (SCSICA) held at Pullman Hotel here last night.
At the same time, Abang Johari disclosed that during his meeting with heads of states recently, he had taken the opportunity to brief Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the need to develop drainage and irrigation systems for large-scale paddy cultivation in Sarawak.
“I told the Prime Minister that I need the money for the infrastructure. (Sarawak) can do it but you (Federal government) must help us. (Sarawak) has the land but we need the infrastructure for drainage and irrigation.
“I also told him that if he gives us the infrastructure, Sarawak will work hard and maybe the whole Malaysia will become self-sufficient in rice,” he elaborated.
At the event, Abang Johari presented the Sarawak Premier Innovation Award to the overall champion Lands Tahai Q from Limbang Land and Survey Department.
For SCSICA Innovation Award, Lands Tahai Q from Limbang Land and Survey Department won the Sarawak Main Agency Category followed by Nipss from Bintulu District Education Office for the Federal Agency Category, Ipok from Mukah Division Resident Office (Resident and District Office Category) and Eagle from Sibu Municipal Council (Local Authorities Category).
Other winners were Nipss from Bintulu District Education Office for Digital Innovation Award, Techskap from Bintulu Development Authority (Green Innovation Award), BE-Tech from Sarawak Community Welfare Department (SCSICA Special Innovation Award), Ready Steady Go from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak (Best Performance Award) and Sassoku Tech from Sarawak Land and Survey Department (Best Montage Award).
Approximately 168 innovative and creative circle (ICC) groups competed in the Convention co-organised by Sarawak Transformation and Innovation Unit under Premier’s Department and Sarawak Federal Secretary Office in conjunction with the Sarawak Civil Service Innovation Month 2023 celebration.
Among those present were Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, Minister in the Premier’s Department Datuk John Sikie Tayai, Sarawak Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Sarawak Federal Secretary Dato Ahmad Nadzri Mohd Hassan, Sarawak Financial Secretary Dato Sri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar and Sarawak Attorney General Datuk Saferi Ali. — DayakDaily
