Mat Sabu: Why Do Bumiputera Durian Farmers Struggle While Others Become Millionaires?
He stressed that his concern was genuinely for the wellbeing of Bumiputeras, and not from a racial perspective.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 13 Nov 2024, 06:03 PM
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu has expressed concerns about the significant wealth disparity between Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera durian farmers
During his speech in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday, 11 November, Mohamad, also known as Mat Sabu, clarified that his remarks stemmed from a genuine concern for the wellbeing of Bumiputeras, rather than from a racial perspective.
"The surprising thing about durian farming is that while Bumiputeras have consistently cultivated durians, it is the Chinese who export them abroad and become millionaires.
"Why are Bumiputeras left out in this arrangement (export)? I view this problem seriously," said the minister.
Mohamad argued that land should not be an issue for Bumiputera farmers, as Penang is the only state with a Chinese menteri besar, while the other states are headed by Bumiputeras
He noted that most Malay durian farmers operate on a small scale, citing land issues.
The minister then questioned how and why local governments failed to provide Bumiputeras with enough land for larger-scale planting.
"Even in Kelantan, durian farmers who are millionaires are mostly Chinese.
"I want to understand why Bumiputeras failed to establish large durian farms and export them overseas.
"We (Bumiputeras) have smallholders who only produce durians for sale at Jalan Chow Kit and markets in villages. They failed to capitalise on the durian boom and become millionaires," Muhamad said.
A fellow member of parliament suggested that the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry should also address similar issues faced by coconut farmers.
The discussion was cut short by Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, who asked the minister to conclude his speech.
Mohamad promised that any questions parliamentarians had would be answered in written replies within the next few weeks.
