Govt Drafting Strategy To Develop Local Corn Grain Industry- PM Anwar
KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Bernama) -- The government will formulate an effective strategy to develop the local corn grain industry to reduce dependence on imported commodities, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said the move to develop the main ingredient ecosystem in the country's livestock sector was described as an important approach that could stimulate the development of the country's agro-food sector, increase rural economic opportunities and strengthen the resilience of the country's food system.
"The Cabinet Committee Meeting on National Food Security Policy No. 1/2025 which I chaired today agreed for the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) to formulate a strategy for the development of the local corn industry," he said in a Facebook post today.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Barnama
3 hours ago
- Barnama
Gerik Bus Tragedy: RM1.7 Million Raised Through KPT Prihatin Fund
TANJONG MALIM, June 16 (Bernama) – The Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) has raised RM1.7 million through the Prihatin Fund to support the victims and families affected by the Gerik bus tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of 15 students from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the funds collected were contributions from 40 public and private higher learning institutions which included polytechnics and community colleges, as well as contributions from various other sources such as state government agencies, financial institutions and corporate bodies. He said the special fund, managed by UPSI, will be distributed to recipients in stages and that so far, RM371,000 from the total RM1.7 million has already been disbursed to affected students and their families. "The RM1.7 million will be given to the families of the victims, and I leave it to the secretariat led by the UPSI Vice-Chancellor (Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff) to manage the fund. "The higher learning institutions have mobilised their students, staff, and others to contribute," he told reporters after the Tahlil Perdana ceremony for the bus tragedy victims at Dewan Tuanku Canselor UPSI here tonight. Also present were Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, and Perak Education, Higher Education, Youth, and Sports Committee chairman Khairudin Abu Hanipah. Zambry also donate a month's salary of his ministership to the fund, demonstrating solidarity with the compassion shown by Malaysians. Meanwhile, Md Amin said the KPT Prihatin Fund, is expected to close this Friday. "Once we conclude the donation drive, the remaining funds will be given directly to the families. Thank you to everyone for your support. We aim to finalise this process within the week," he said.


New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
1,300 shops gutted in devastating fire in India's Kolkata
NEW DELHI: At least 1,300 shops were gutted in a devastating fire Monday at a marketplace in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, officials said, reported Xinhua. However, no loss of life or injuries have been reported in the blaze. The fire broke out early Monday in the 150-year-old Khidirpur market of Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal. Following the fire, authorities rushed 20 fire tenders to the spot to bring the blaze under control and prevent it from spreading to adjacent areas. A senior fire service official said the blaze in the market spread rapidly due to the densely congested area. The presence of highly flammable materials such as gunny sacks, edible oil, and butter in nearby warehouses intensified the flames, the official said. Police have registered a case to ascertain the cause of the fire. However, a short circuit is suspected to have triggered the fire. –BERNAMA


Malaysia Sun
4 hours ago
- Malaysia Sun
Protectionism must not be allowed to derail green transition, energy security
KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Protectionism and geopolitical tensions must not be allowed to threaten the transition to green technologies and energy security, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said here on Monday. Considering the long-term nature of these challenges, efforts to provide security against such disruptions must be a top priority to ensure the stability of the global economy and the continuation of human growth and development, Anwar said in his keynote address at the Energy Asia 2025 conference. "Geopolitical tensions, retaliatory tariffs, and disrupted supply chains have fueled uncertainty; eroding the predictability, reliability and stability that global trade and economic systems once offered," he said. "This fragility is perhaps most evident in the energy and climate domain. Rather than fostering collaboration, we are witnessing polarizing policy shifts driven by strategic competition, even as energy security remains out of reach for many," he said. As part of efforts to build resilience against such disruptions, Anwar suggested a clear and coherent financial architecture that inspires investor confidence and mobilizes greater capital flows into renewable energy projects across Southeast Asia, as well as upgrading electricity grids, which will pave the way for an accelerated adoption of green technologies. "This is critical, given that in 2023, Southeast Asia attracted only 2 percent of global clean energy spending -- a stark contrast for a region endowed with immense potential in renewable energy: wind in Vietnam, hydropower in Laos, solar in Malaysia and geothermal energy in Indonesia," he said. "At the recent ASEAN Summit, we took a significant step forward by accelerating the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) initiative through an enhanced memorandum of agreement and the establishment of a dedicated APG financing facility network. This will enhance cross-border funding flows and bring us closer to a truly integrated regional energy market," he explained. Anwar also noted the progress that Malaysia has made as chair of ASEAN in putting dialogue and multilateralism first and building strong ties with major energy exporters in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), noting the successful inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China summit last month. "Here in Asia, we hold fast to the belief that diplomacy prevails over autocracy, and healthy competition can coexist with mutually-beneficial outcomes," he added. The conference gathers representatives from 38 industries across more than 60 countries and regions under the theme "Delivering Asia's Energy Transition," bringing together policymakers, industry leaders and energy professionals to align strategies and pragmatic solutions that meet the unique challenges and opportunities of developing and emerging economies.