HIS MAJESTY HAS CONSENTED TO HARVEST "LAILA" RICE

As the former Director of Agriculture, I am very happy indeed to see that the Government has targetted 20% and 60% self-sufficiency in 2010 and 2015 respectively...... this was my "dream" in 1988 when I took over the Department of Agriculture, but then there was no political will at that time as we all know that rice is always a political crop, not an economic one.... I only managed to privatise the Wasan Rice Project before I was quickly moved to the Forestry Department.... however, during my one-year stint back to the Agriculture Department in 1995, I have invited the private sector to plant rice on a trial basis at the "abandoned" Wasan Rice Project, but I almost lost my job because of this, luckily just being transferred and down-graded to become the "Principal" of Sinaut Agriculture Training Centre...... it takes over two decades to realise that the "magic" 3% self-sufficiency is not good enough for the country after repeated calls on this matter from our benevolent and caring Ruler....... now my wish is for the authorities to look at the technologies of growing rice commercially further a field as far as Australia and United States......