The Sarawak government will launch a pilot project to cultivate perennial rice in the Daro and Matu areas as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s food security through the adoption of modern agricultural technology -  Source: Gedong Express Friday 17 July, 2026

But Sarawakians are entitled to ask a direct question: what happened to the RM1 billion already announced for rice development in Sri Aman Division, including Stumbin, Lingga and Tanjung Bijat? As reported by Malay Mail on 11 June 2024, the Sarawak government set aside RM1 billion for 10,000 hectares in those areas, with RM500 million planned for 2025 and another RM500 million for 2026  - Source: Malaymail By Sulok Tawie First Published: Tuesday, 11 Jun 2024 2:40 PM MYT

That is a huge amount of money and Sarawakians should not ignore this.  So the real issue is not excitement, but delivery. Was this a genuine development programme, or is it becoming another expensive project that looks good in headlines but struggles on the ground? Sarawakians deserve a straight answer.

PBK is concerned that many agricultural schemes in Sarawak have historically been announced with fanfare but later slowed down, underperformed, or been left partially abandoned in certain areas. If the government is serious about food security, then it must show results, not just repeated promises. Rice development is not a slogan; it requires proper drainage, irrigation, roads, machinery access, licensing reform, and policies that genuinely help farmers and entrepreneurs succeed.Source: theborneopost By Marilyn Ten on November 28, 2023, Tuesday at 3:56 PM.

People also know that when policies are weak, even large allocations can be wasted through poor implementation. This is why PBK says the government must re-examine its entrepreneurship and licensing policies if it wants such projects to succeed. A project can be announced with billions, but without an enabling policy environment, it can still fail.

PBK therefore asks the GPS government to explain clearly:

(1)What has been achieved with the RM1 billion allocation?

(2)What is the current status of the Stumbin, Lingga, and Tanjung Bijat project?

(3)Has the project been delayed, underperformed, or effectively failed?

(4)What concrete policy changes are being made to ensure success?

Sarawakians want progress, not publicity. They want harvests, not headlines. They want accountability, not excuses.

Voon Lee Shan

President, Parti Bumi Kenyalang