We are one of the major problems. The usual leakages in implementation of government policies and brain drain as a result of discrimination led to poor results. People who are willing do not have lands while those with lands are not willing to work on them. Idle lands mean no productivity. We cannot escape from this basic fact.
"Note this: Malaysian government once complained of billions of Ringgit subsidies in food imports. Since Dr M's rule, University Pertanian have changed to University Putra - with very little actions in modernising farming.
Thus the priority have been WRONG all the time. Now poorer Msians suffer with inflationary costs of food. Some resort to robbery just to feed families...."
"Holland the size of Pahang (about 12% of Malaysia land mass) exports more in agriculture than Malaysia though much of its land is below sea level with expensive dykes to maintain whole year round. Yet Holland is number 3 in the world in farm exports at USD 55 billion last year, just behind giant USA and France. Holland population is about 17 million compared to Malaysia's 28 million."
Thus Malaysia has less people per area than Holland (Holland has about 5 times more). Malaysia has no land under the sea, unlike Holland. And Malaysia has no winter inhibiting plant growth.
How? Holland applies SCIENTIFIC methods in farming - its cow sheds don't smell, with much of shits reused as gases...
What happens to Bolehland's Universities' agriculture R & D?"
I wish to add that Holland has many residents cycling to work. Does it show that they are backward? They do not need tallest buildings to impress.
In Malaysia, I have heard of many cases of farmers selling cheaply fertilizers provided by government to middlemen, who made millions from reselling them. Cattle provided by government ended up in feasts instead. This must be one of the main reasons why our agricultural policies failed.
It would appear our success in plantations was mainly due to ideal natural conditions, good private management and foreign workers. It could have been much better. The reliance on cheap foreign workers have seen Malaysian companies planting oil palms in Indonesia instead.
The following news report suggests we prefer industrialization to agro-base economy. Yet, with the continual brain drain as a result of discrimination, our industries are mainly foreign companies taking advantage of tax and other incentives, without much transfer of technology. The car industry remains essentially assembly-based with poor quality controls, while South Korea has emerged as strong competitors much feared by even the Japanese.
Today's Star: No turning back to agro-base economy, says Dr M
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