Kota Kinabalu: Merotai Assemblyman Sarifuddin Hata wants the State Government to act on food security and the integrity of halal food supply chains.
“Sabah currently imports 90.67 per cent of its food supplies from outside Sabah, with only a 9.33 per cent self-sufficiency level in the livestock sector.
“Food security is not just about ensuring sufficient food supply, but also guaranteeing that food is safe and halal for all citizens, especially Muslims in Sabah,” he said when debating the government’s policy speech.
He pointed out the frequent seizure of smuggled frozen chicken by the General Operations Force over the past three years.
“These products allegedly originated from countries like Brazil, Germany, Poland and Sweden, which do not comply with Malaysia’s Department of Islamic Development halal standards.
“This matter is serious and concerning for all communities in the State, particularly Muslim consumers,” he said, adding that numerous Muslim non-governmental organisations approached him about this issue.
He noted that in 2023 alone, authorities seized smuggled chicken worth RM78 million across Sabah.
He, thus, called for coordinated action from, namely, the Agriculture, Religious Affairs and Public Welfare agencies to address this problem.
He also questioned the effectiveness of enforcement measures, particularly after the former Sabah Assistant Minister of Agriculture, who had previously conducted raids, moved to a different ministry.
He requested clarification from the current Sabah Minister of Agriculture on several points, namely the exact role of the Veterinary Department in controlling the entry of frozen chicken into Sabah and the main causes for the seizures.
He also wanted to know the official record of seizures from 2022 to April 2025, the disposal process for seized chicken and whether there are guarantees that non-halal products would not be sold to Muslim consumers.
In addition to food security concerns, Sarifuddin pointed out financial management, praising the introduction of new revenue sources including taxes on palm oil biomass and silica.
However, he sought clarification on the contradiction regarding silica exports and related taxes.
He called for improved integrity and anti-corruption measures among not just civil servants but also policymakers and Cabinet ministers.
He reminded the Chief Minister about a previously promised list of companies with approved Prospecting Licenses that has yet to be provided.
In addition, he also raised several constituency-specific issues including elephant encroachment in villages around Merotai, environmental concerns regarding development projects and the poor quality of road maintenance in his constituency.
He also appealed for reforms in the State Assembly procedures to allow representatives more speaking time to properly address the needs of their constituents, noting that the current time restrictions limit their ability to raise important issues.
