HULU SELANGOR, Aug 10 — The Selangor Agriculture Development Corporation’s (PKPS) Dairy Cattle Complex will be a game-changer to lower the nation’s dependence on imported dairy products.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the 9.7ha Ehsan Dairy Farm is a proactive measure to realise that goal, seeing as the government imports 94.7 per cent of its dairy products at a cost of RM4.6 billion a year.
“PKPS is implementing a large-scale dairy production project. This effort is in line with the country’s aim of increasing local dairy production.
“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when tabling the 13MP (13th Malaysia Plan) recently, said the country faces a rather large burden when we import food products, including dairy, from overseas,” Zahid said at a press conference after the Ehsan Dairy Farm groundbreaking ceremony in Sungai Tengi here today.
Zahid, who is also rural and regional development minister, said the government is committed to strengthening technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the hi-tech agriculture sector to create skilled workers and reduce dependence on imported labour.
He urged agriculture training institutes nationwide to employ the 30-70 approach — 30 per cent theory classes, 70 per cent practical training in the field.
“The National TVET Council is ready to help any agriculture training institute nationwide to train youth interested in agriculture, especially hi-tech agriculture.
“We’re confident that existing modules are good, but (I think) the use of Internet of Things technology and suitable teaching pedagogies must be integrated to increase the effectiveness of TVET courses,” he said.
Zahid added that TVET graduates who earn the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level 3 are offered a minimum wage of RM3,000, while SKM Level 5 (diploma equivalent) holders could earn around RM5,000.
