KUALA LUMPUR: The government has been urged to implement more proactive approaches in efforts to increase rice production and support local padi cultivation to ensure a continuous and sufficient supply of rice in the country.
"We must reduce reliance on imports. We must remember that even though we have the means to buy foreign countries...once they have a shortage of their produce, they will restrict exports to other countries, and we will become victims," he said. "They are ageing the farmers do not use it as an excuse and their productivity remains high because they use smart agriculture," he said.
He said seven states have been identified to have huge REE reserves that can contribute to the country’s revenue, adding that without the expertise the reserves would be encroached upon, the minerals stolen and smuggled out. "This is the best concept which is being implemented in foreign countries such as at Harvard University, which has an endowment fund of USD49.5bil.