Kota Kinabalu, Tuesday, 4 April, 2023
In response to the issue of pork prices, Gee Tien Siong said the people are expecting to hear the official response from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS), and its Deputy Minister Chan Foong Hin should not hide behind a private secretary.
“Unless the deputy minister himself is incompetent, a private secretary without authority and responsibility should not be allowed to publicly release unofficial fallacies,” said Gee, Vice President of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).
“Instead of sending a subordinate and wasting newspaper space to attack me, why not properly explain what practical actions MAFS has taken to lower the price of pork?
Gee said the basis of “food security” is to strengthen local productions and reduce dependence on imports.
He said SAPP strives for the welfare of the people and proposes three strategies in 2022, namely: Territorial Security, Energy Security and Food Security. The pork issue is part of the Food Security section, in which SAPP has come up with many good strategies.
Gee explained in addition to swine flu, many pig farmers chose to reduce production also due to rising operating costs, including soaring price of animal feeds.
“I believe that if the deputy minister himself has met pig farmers in Sabah, he must know the plight they are facing: no profit is tantamount to a death sentence for the farm. Increasing the volume of imports will only exacerbate the problem.
Based on the fact that from December last year to March this year, Chan released no less than 6 news reports about reducing pork price, but none of them made it clear or explained the actual solution. Therefore Gee issued a statement to seek accountability.
He emphasised the people need prudent representatives, not internet celebrity ministers who only create a lot of frothy news to fool the people.
Gee believes as the deputy minister of MAFS, Chan, who is also Kota Kinabalu MP, should exercise his responsibilities, and do everything he can to help Sabah’s farms, including providing subsidies, low-interest loans, and improving veterinary assistance, in order to encourage productivity.
“Why don’t the deputy minister make good use of his position and apply to the federal cabinet to fund pig farmers across the country to improve sanitation facilities, thereby reducing the risk of plague. Keep pens hygine, stabilise pork prices, and reduce farmers’ losses and burden, killing three birds with one stone.”
Gee pointed out that since Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) formed the federal government, Sabah farmers have not yet received any help from MAFS. On the contrary, farms affected by swine flu in the peninsula states have already received RM4 million in assistance.
“While Chan the deputy minister once said in an online video that the feelings of other states must be considered if Sabah fights for 40% tax revenue, shouldn’t he also consider the feelings of Sabahans, especially farmers while delivering RM4 million only for the farmers in the peninsula?
“If the federal government is unable to take care of Sabah people, the 40% tax collected in Sabah should be returned to and managed by Sabah government,” Gee emphasised.