KUCHING, Sept 10: The Federal Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities said there is a need to streamline policies in handling Native Customary Rights (NCR) land in Sarawak in order to benefit from some 900,000 hectares of occupied NCR land for oil palm cultivation.
Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin gave her assurance on Thursday (Sept 9) during her visit to Sarawak that her Ministry will try to streamline the policies in handling NCD land and land to be developed for oil palm cultivation.
“There are issues that need to be dealt with in Sarawak where about 900,000 hectares of occupied NCR land can benefit from investment in oil palm (plantation).
“I am happy that Sarawak has moved ahead and is now in the process of innovating how to harvest oil palm using machines and technology in order to reduce dependency on local labours which is experiencing a shortage due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” she told a press conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia last Thursday, reported by the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS).
Zuraidah was at Wisma Bapa Malaysia to pay a courtesy call on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Deputy Chief Minister, who is also Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development (MANRED), was also present at the meeting.
She noted that Sarawak plays an important role in spearheading the production of oil palm in Malaysia with achievements in innovations and new farming methods in increasing the productivity of oil palm as well as black pepper.
During the meeting, the leaders also discussed the future direction of the commodity industry, particularly that of the oil palm and black pepper in Sarawak.
Later, Zuraida also paid a courtesy visit to Minister of Transport Datuk Lee Kim Shin who is in charge of the Malaysia Day 2021 State-Level celebration.
Assistant Ministers Datuk Rosey Yunus (Women, Family and Children Development), Datu Dr Pengguang Manggil (Local Government and Housing), Datuk Sebastian Ting (Tourism, Arts and Culture) and Datu Len Talif Salleh (Rural Development, Land Administration and Environment) were also present. — DayakDaily
