Review of agricultural land rental system implementation needed, says Zahid

• This is because local operators enjoying benefits rent out the land instead to foreigners to cultivate crops, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the rural and regional development minister.

DUNGUN (March 17): The implementation of the agricultural land rental system, especially for vegetables to local operators, needs to be reviewed to prevent the sector from being dominated by foreigners, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pictured) said.

This is because local operators enjoying benefits rent out the land instead to foreigners to cultivate crops, said Zahid, who is also the rural and regional development minister.

"Locals don’t get involved in the 3D — dirty, difficult and dangerous — sector, and we know the main areas of vegetable cultivation are given to locals through rental or leasehold, but they give the opportunity to foreigners.

"I think that in this matter, the [existing] system is good, but its implementation needs to be reviewed, and of course, the enforcement, the land office and certain authorities need to take action. We should look at a holistic solution,” Zahid said in response to a local newspaper report claiming that the country’s vegetable supply chain is being dominated by foreigners who have illegally expanded their cultivation areas to nearly 1,000 hectares.

In other developments, Zahid urged Muslims in the country to uphold the fatwa issued by the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs and the state governments to not be influenced by deviant teachings, adding that true teachings are in accordance with the Al Quran and Hadith.

This follows allegations that there were parties trying to revive the ‘Ayah Pin’ or ‘Sky Government’ sect that was declared deviant in a fatwa by religious authorities in 1992.

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