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Daily Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Express
Significant progress in food security
Published on: Thursday, July 10, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 10, 2025 By: Ricardo Unto Text Size: Nizam told the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that one of the major achievements was the establishment of the Sabah Padi and Rice Board, approved under Section 3 of the Sabah Agricultural Produce Board Enactment 1981. Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Government has made significant progress in strengthening food security under the agricultural component of the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 1.0 development plan. Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan told the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that one of the major achievements was the establishment of the Sabah Padi and Rice Board, approved under Section 3 of the Sabah Agricultural Produce Board Enactment 1981. He said a paddy crop takaful scheme was also introduced to provide insurance protection for registered farmers against natural disasters, crop damage and diseases. As part of paddy expansion efforts, Sabah developed an additional 100 hectares in Kampung Ongkilan, Kota Marudu through the Kinabalu Palm Oil Group, on top of the existing 35,160 hectares of padi land. 'To further increase the paddy area, the government has introduced a new policy allowing grazing reserves to be converted for agricultural use,' Nizam said in response to a question by Nabawan Assemblyman Datuk Abdul Ghani Mohamed Yassin. Sabah also developed a pineapple plantation in Lingkungan, Beaufort for MD2 pineapple export, a joint venture between Rural Development Corporation (KPD) and the private sector, with the first 18-tonne shipment already exported to Singapore. In Kota Marudu, a separate MD2 pineapple cultivation project spanning 80.9 hectares began in Kampung Gana under a state-federal agency partnership. To support market access, six Agricultural Produce Collection Centres (APCC) have been completed in Kundasang, Kota Marudu, Lingkungan, Beaufort, Telupid, Keningau and Lahad Datu. The area of rubber plantations in Sabah has increased to 241,245 hectares, with the addition of five centrifuge machines at the Beaufort Latex Concentrate Factory boosting annual output from 1,000 to 4,000 metric tonnes. Livestock numbers grew from 6.86 million in 2021 to 9.33 million in 2023, covering cattle, buffaloes, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens and ducks – a total rise of 2.47 million animals. Sabah's self-sufficiency level (SSL) for buffalo and beef rose from 2.94 per cent in 2021 to 5.69 per cent in 2024, while SSL for chicken meat rose from 89.31 per cent to 94.19 per cent, and SSL for eggs, goat meat and fresh milk remained above 100per cent from 2021 to 2024. The State also developed the Kinabalu Livestock Integrated Centre (SKLIC) in Balung, Tawau, which now hosts 15,453 livestock, of which 10,692 are integrated with palm plantations covering 27,444 hectares. To enhance aquaculture, Ko-Nelayan constructed 235 tanks to boost hybrid grouper fry capacity, resulting in the successful production of 62,982 fry and benefiting 20 aquaculture farmers. Freshwater fish production increased from 1,692 metric tonnes in 2021 to 2,006 metric tonnes in 2023, while 659,277 metric tonnes of marine fish were landed in Sabah between 2021 and 2023. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
02-07-2025
- General
- Daily Express
DBKK urges public cooperation via ‘My City, My Responsibility'
Published on: Wednesday, July 02, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 02, 2025 By: Crystal E Hermenegildus Text Size: Kota Kinabalu: City Hall (DBKK) held the closing ceremony of the My City, My Responsibility 1.0 (MCMR) awareness campaign, last Sunday. The ceremony was officiated by the Deputy Director General (Operations) of DBKK, Robert Lipon (pic), representing Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Sabin Samitah. It marked the culmination of a campaign that was launched on Feb 3. He said this campaign is proof of City Hall's commitment to raising public awareness about the collective responsibility to maintain the cleanliness of the city. 'The objective of this campaign is to educate the community to be more responsible in maintaining the cleanliness of the city and making it a clean, green and liveable city, in addition to increasing the public's awareness of the importance of preserving and conserving the environment. 'This is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG 17), namely Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), Goal 6 (Clean water and sanitation), Goal 14 (Life in water) and Goal 15 (Life on Land),' he said during the inauguration ceremony at Palm Square, Centre Point. Various events were organised, including the 'MCMR Slogan' TikTok Competition, 'Treasure Hunt' Competition, Colouring and Poster Drawing Competition, Guessing the Amount and Weight of Cigarette Butts Competition, Used Clothes Upcycling Competition, Environmental Quiz, Health and Environment Exhibition, and Kids Fashion Show. In addition, the Household Recycling Competition is being held for the first time to encourage waste separation and recycling practices starting at home. Robert said participating residents have been sending recyclable waste such as plastic bottles, paper, cans, and cooking oil to the Kota Kinabalu Sustainable Centre located at the Community Hall. A total of more than two tonnes of recycled waste have been successfully received in this activity, marking a 100% increase compared to last year. 'This record clearly indicates a significant improvement in public awareness regarding the daily separation of household waste. It also demonstrates the potential for waste materials to serve as a valuable financial resource when managed correctly,' he said. In addition, the Kampungku Bersih challenge was held in conjunction with City Hall's 24th anniversary celebrations. This competition aimed to foster social awareness among villagers in the city through ongoing campaigns and cleaning activities. The winner of the challenge was Kampung Kobuni, with Kampung Binaung and Kampung Kokol securing second and third places, respectively. These villages are now recognised as 'Clean and Green Villages'. 'I hope that the programme held this time will be a good start to creating a quality environment, further achieving the mission and vision of DBKK,' Robert said. Also present to enliven the ceremony were the Leasing Executive for the management of Center Point Sabah Oliver, Lim Kok Fueh; Director of the Solid Waste Management Department as the Organizing Chairman, Leong Tze Fui, and the heads of DBKK departments. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Associated Press
27-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Hong Kong at Maritime Crossroads: New Studies Reveal Unprecedented Opportunity for Kickstarting the Blue Economy
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire – 27 May 2025 - In a rare convergence of economic and environmental expertise, three landmark studies released today by ADM Capital Foundation, HKUST and WWF-Hong Kong, presenting a transformative vision—Hong Kong can reinvent itself as Asia's premier blue economy hub. Hong Kong at Maritime Crossroads: New Studies Reveal Unprecedented Opportunity for Kickstarting the Blue Economy The reports— Port 1.0 to Port 2.0 (HKUST), Blue Finance for a Blue Economy (ADMCF), and Valuing the Invaluable Blue (WWF-Hong Kong)—all agree that the city has a unique opportunity in this moment, wherein: Global shipping reforms – IMOs net zero emission and carbon pricing mandate will force fleet upgrades, fuel transitions and new financial risks. In parallel, the UN has announced an ambitious biodiversity framework to be achieved by 2030. Hong Kong, itself, is striving to re-assert itself as a maritime powerhouse. This alignment, the authors propose, creates an unprecedented opportunity to transform the city into Asia's sustainable blue economy leader. At the heart of this transformation lies 'Port 2.0' – a visionary reimagining of Hong Kong's waters as a multifunctional interface that connects sea, land, city, technology and people, and serve as platforms for innovation, environmental stewardship and civic life. 'What makes this moment truly extraordinary is how these elements intersect with Hong Kong's unique advantages. Our world-class financial ecosystem can mobilise the billions needed for maritime decarbonisation. Our strategic location positions us as the natural hub for green shipping business in Asia. And our existing port infrastructure provides the ideal testing ground for innovative solutions.' said Christine Loh, Chief Development Strategist, Institute for the Environment at HKUST and author of the paper 'From Port 1.0 to Port 2.0: Hong Kong's Next Leap to Evolving a Blue Economy Vision'. Hong Kong's status as the world's third-largest capital hub gives it unmatched potential to pioneer blue finance. As ADMCF's Blue Finance report highlights, instruments such as blue bonds can mobilise capital to facilitate port decarbonisation, sustainable aquaculture and marine eco-tourism—transforming the city into Asia's premier blue economy hub, aligning marine protection with economic prosperity. In 2023 there was a surge in blue bonds followed by continued growth in 2024, and Asia was the largest issuing region—led by China. 'If Hong Kong were to issue blue bonds, this would not only signal the city's commitment to improving its status as a leading international maritime hub but also accelerate the growth of blue finance, ensuring a future where economic prosperity and marine resilience go hand in hand,' said Kate Martin, the report's lead author and sustainable finance consultant with ADMCF. This untapped potential aligns with the groundbreaking research in Valuing the Invaluable Blue. The WWF-commissioned study by the Chinese Academy of Sciences has, for the first time, quantified the staggering monetary value of the Greater Bay Area's coastal ecosystems—revealing a Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) worth RMB 4.9 trillion, equivalent to over 35% of the GBA's GDP, with 73% contributed by marine ecosystems. 'This valuation demonstrates our marine ecosystems' critical, yet often overlooked, economic contributions,' said Lydia Pang, Head of Oceans Conservation at WWF-Hong Kong. 'From climate regulation to disaster mitigation, these natural systems provide services worth over one-third of our regional GDP - services that should be factored into development decisions and anchor blue economy planning,' she said. 'What's more, our study shows that Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to adopt this ecosystem accounting framework. With strong data foundations, policy alignment, and technical readiness, we can localise and institutionalise marine GEP accounting to guide planning, investment, and conservation.' The authors' combined focus on a blue economy vision integrates port development with marine conservation, biodiversity, climate resilience, recreation and the responsible use of ocean resources. It builds on China's decades of marine policy leadership, where comprehensive frameworks - from ocean GEP systems to blue finance instruments - have laid the foundation for sustainable maritime development. 'The window to developing a sustainable blue economy and to establish ourselves as the global leader in sustainable maritime commerce is open now, but won't remain so indefinitely.' Said Sophie le Clue, CEO at ADMCF. 'The question isn't whether we can seize this opportunity, but whether we will.' Hashtag: #ADMCapitalFoundation The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
