Kota Kinabalu: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said he wants the federal government to reconsider allowing Sabah to import its own rice for Sabah.
“The autonomy to manage rice importation and production is not just a request but a fundamental right for Sabah to better address the specific needs and welfare of its people,” he said in a statement today.
Jeffrey, who is also the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister, said that Sabah’s needs and circumstances are completely different than that of Peninsular Malaysia.
“We have regional autonomy and the capability to manage our own rice imports and production should be within our jurisdiction,” he said.