Saarani lost direction by asking Perakians to grow vegetables - Pejuang

Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad (above) has drawn flak for telling people to grow vegetables and breed livestock for their own consumption amid global food supply disruptions and rising inflation.

In a statement today, Perak Pejuang said the state government has no direction and early planning in dealing with the expected food supply issue.

"The 2021 state budget stipulated the country's dependency on imported food which involved an allocation of RM51 billion. Yet, there is still no solution provided by the menteri besar.

"He takes the easiest way out by asking the people to grow vegetables around their houses. Is that a relevant solution coming from a menteri besar ?"

"This is the consequence when we have a leader who only knows how to make promises to the people. Will the 2022 state budget worth RM1.1 billion be able to fill our pockets and stomachs?" said Perak Pejuang chief Mior Haidir.

Mior asked if the RM51.4 million allocation for the agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors was just rhetoric and a populist move as it would not benefit the economy nor the people.

He also questioned what had happened to the RM3.1 million "Kebun Kita" campaign, which aimed to promote agricultural activities in communities.

It was reported in November last year that Saarani stated the "Kebun Kita" campaign would target over 7,000 individuals and 147 communities in Perak.

"For Perakians, it is just a wasteful campaign whose effect is only seen for a day (on the launching day). Is it worth the campaign that is supposed to encourage people to grow their own vegetables and fruits at such a huge expense?

"Such a huge fund should be allocated to farmer's markets and night markets so that the consumers could get cheaper vegetables.

"This is not the time to point fingers at the Russia-Ukraine war for causing a disruption in the food supply. As we are aware, Perak has vast and fertile land," he said.

'Relevant, logical, sustainable' solutions

Mior said that the chicken prices could be controlled and reduced if the Perak Agricultural Development Corporation (SADC) deals with the issues faced by chicken breeders in Manjung and other districts by creating a centralised chicken breeding centre.

He said chicken feed, which is made of corn, can be brought from Cameron Highlands, which is near Perak.

"So, why does the SADC grow durian in Lenggong when people need vegetables?

"The menteri besar should come out with a solution which is relevant, logical, sustainable and equivalent to his position as menteri besar," he said.

Instead of telling people to plant their own crops, Mior said Saarani might provide microfinancing to the small and medium entrepreneurs or channelling grants to the industries.

Yesterday, Saarani told the people to grow vegetables and rear livestock for their own consumption due to the current shortage of food supply.

He said this could be among the initiatives taken to reduce the burden of the rising cost of living due to the spike in the price of agricultural products and livestock meat such as chicken and mutton while the surplus could be sold. - Mkini