Don't take relaxed approach to food security, says Mat Sabu

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu has urged parties including the government against taking a relaxed approach to ensure food security in the country. 

He said measures to ensure food security were crucial to guaranteeing the country and its people have sufficient food at a reasonable price as the world might face a recession this year.

He said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the government had taken steps involving all ministries to implement suitable plans for maintaining food security, and that even the name of his ministry had been changed to reflect that importance.

"World economic growth this year is expected to be quite slow and the issue of food security is now a hot topic worldwide. Countries like those in Africa are facing food shortages, no money, a failing economy and eventually deaths occur. 

"We cannot relax. As humans blessed with intelligence, we must take that as a challenge as to how we can ensure that food is available in Sabah, Malaysia and the whole world," he said in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.

Mohamad also said that various efforts needed to be jointly implemented to ensure that work to preserve food security and community socio-economic development could be achieved.

"The government, through various ministries, agencies, organisations and the public, needs to join hands to realise this responsibility. 

"The symbiosis and synergy of solid strategic planning need to be adapted in the planning of every government and private entity," he said.