Latest news with #PKPS
The Star
2 days ago
- Business
- The Star
TVET can help reduce food imports
Prized cattle: Ahmad Zahid (fourth from left) and entourage getting a tour of the Ehsan Dairy Farm in Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor. — Bernama KUALA KUBU BARU: The national agriculture industry needs to be strengthened through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to reduce dependence on food imports, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The Deputy Prime Minister said the move is important to ensure food security, including in the dairy sector, and to meet the needs of the domestic market. Ahmad Zahid said the National TVET Council is prepared to channel assistance and work with agricultural training institutions nationwide to implement the initiative, especially through high-tech courses, to woo the young. 'The existing modules are good, but in my view, integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) and modern teaching pedagogy into TVET is essential. 'Learning should comprise only 30% classroom sessions, with the remaining conducted on field to give students real-world exposure to agriculture,' Ahmad Zahid, who is the Council chairman, said after performing the groundbreaking ceremony of the Selangor Agricultural Development Corp's 'Ehsan Dairy Farm' dairy cattle complex here yesterday. Also present were Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and PKPS Group CEO Datuk Dr Mohamad Khairil Mohamad Razi. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said premium salaries should be offered to TVET graduates in the agriculture sector, instead of the minimum RM1,700 wage, to attract more youths. He said TVET graduates holding the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level Three were eligible to receive a minimum salary of RM3,000, while those with SKM Level Five qualifications can earn up to RM5,000 a month. 'SKM Level Five is equivalent to a diploma, and due to strong market demand and high employability, holders can command a premium salary of about RM5,000. This will certainly encourage young people to venture into this field,' he said, Bernama reported. On the Ehsan Dairy Farm, Ahmad Zahid described it as a game changer for PKPS in its efforts to boost local dairy production, thus helping to reduce reliance on imports. 'We import about 94.7% of the country's dairy needs, which is worth RM4.6mil a year. The Prime Minister, when tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan, highlighted that one of the significant burdens we face is the need to import food products, including dairy. 'This PKPS initiative is a proactive step towards significantly reducing our reliance on dairy imports,' he said. The Ehsan Dairy Farm, expected to begin operations early next year, is located on the 16.7ha Sungai Tengi PKPS Farm. It will house more than 1,200 high-quality Jersey-Holstein Friesian dairy cows from Australia.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Zahid: Strengthen agriculture sector through TVET
KUALA KUBU BARU: The country's agricultural industry needs to be strengthened through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to reduce dependence on food imports, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He said the move was important to ensuring food security, including in the dairy sector, to meet the needs of the domestic market. Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development minister, said the National TVET Council is prepared to channel assistance and collaborate with agricultural training institutions nationwide to implement the initiative, especially through high-tech courses to attract the interest of young people. "The existing modules are good, but in my view, integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) and modern teaching pedagogy into TVET is essential. Learning should comprise only 30 per cent classroom sessions, with the remaining 70 per cent conducted in the field to give students real-world exposure to agriculture," said Zahid, who is also National TVET Council chairman. He said this at a press conference after opening the groundbreaking ceremony of the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation's (PKPS) "Ehsan Dairy Farm" Dairy Cattle Complex in Kuala Kubu Baru today. Also present were Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and PKPS Group Chief Executive Officer Datuk Dr Mohamad Khairil Mohamad Razi. Zahid added that premium salaries should be offered to TVET graduates in the agricultural sector, rather than being tied to a minimum wage of RM1,700, to attract more young people to join the industry. He said TVET graduates holding the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level Three are eligible to receive a minimum salary of RM3,000, while those with SKM Level Five qualifications can earn up to RM5,000 a month. "SKM Level Five is equivalent to a diploma, and due to strong market demand and high employability, it can command a premium salary of around RM5,000. "This will certainly encourage young people to venture into this field," he said. On "Ehsan Dairy Farm", Zahid described it as a game changer for PKPS in its efforts to boost local dairy production, thereby helping to reduce the country's reliance on imports. "We import about 94.7 per cent of the country's dairy needs, which is worth RM4.6 million a year. "The prime minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim), when tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan recently, highlighted that one of the significant burdens we face is the need to import food products, including dairy, from abroad. "This PKPS initiative is a proactive step towards significantly reducing our reliance on dairy imports," he said. The Ehsan Dairy Farm, expected to begin operations in early 2026, will be located on about 16.7 hectares at the Sungai Tengi PKPS Farm. It will house more than 1,200 high-quality Jersey-Holstein Friesian (F2) dairy cows from Australia, a country renowned for its expertise in industrial dairy farming.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Strengthening agriculture sector through TVET for food security
KUALA KUBU BHARU: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called for the strengthening of Malaysia's agricultural sector through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to curb the nation's dependence on food imports. He emphasised that this approach is crucial for achieving food security, particularly in the dairy industry, to meet domestic demand. As Minister of Rural and Regional Development and Chairman of the National TVET Council, Ahmad Zahid stated that the council is ready to support and collaborate with agricultural training institutions nationwide. He highlighted the need for high-tech courses, including the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) and modern teaching methods, to attract youth participation. 'Learning should comprise only 30% classroom sessions, with the remaining 70% conducted in the field to provide hands-on agricultural exposure,' he said during a press conference after launching the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation's (PKPS) Ehsan Dairy Farm project. Ahmad Zahid also proposed premium salaries for TVET graduates in agriculture, suggesting that they should earn significantly more than the minimum wage of RM1,700 to make the sector more appealing. Graduates with a Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level Three could earn at least RM3,000 monthly, while those with SKM Level Five qualifications, equivalent to a diploma, could command salaries of up to RM5,000. He described the Ehsan Dairy Farm as a transformative initiative for PKPS, aimed at boosting local dairy production and reducing Malaysia's heavy reliance on imports. Malaysia currently imports 94.7% of its dairy needs, costing RM4.6 million annually. The farm, set to operate by early 2026, will span 16.7 hectares at the Sungai Tengi PKPS Farm and house over 1,200 high-quality Jersey-Holstein Friesian dairy cows imported from Australia. Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and PKPS Group CEO Datuk Dr Mohamad Khairil Mohamad Razi were also present at the event. – Bernama
New Straits Times
20-05-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Selangor to distribute livestock worth RM6 mil for Aidiladha under state contribution programme
SHAH ALAM: The Selangor state government has allocated RM6 million to provide 700 cows and 1,000 goats for sacrificial rites (ibadah korban) to mosques and suraus throughout the state in conjunction with the upcoming Aidiladha celebration next month. Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the livestock will be distributed to eligible recipients, including senior state government officials, mosques, and local community groups. "The Selangor State Sacrificial Contribution Programme (PSKNS) is a state government initiative managed by the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS), now in its seventh consecutive year. "It is funded through the Selangor State-Owned Companies, Statutory Bodies and Government Agencies Contribution Trust Fund (TASASBA)," he said. "PKPS, as the implementing agency, will oversee all procurement, administrative, and financial aspects of the programme under the close supervision of the PSKNS Steering Committee, chaired by Selangor Infrastructure and Agriculture Exco, Datuk Izham Hashim," he added. Amiruddin's remarks were delivered by the Selangor State Secretary, Datuk Dr Ahmad Fadzli Ahmad Tajuddin, during the Launch and Voucher Handover Ceremony of the PSKNS held at Dewan Raja Muda Musa, yesterday. Meanwhile, the PSKNS organising body was told to ensure that the cows and goats donated meet the proper religious criteria for a valid sacrificial offering. Amiruddin stated that each animal donated must comply with the conditions stipulated under Islamic law, including being free from defects, healthy, and having reached the appropriate age of maturity. "We want to avoid last-minute issues, such as the animals failing to meet the necessary requirements, which would force the organisers to return the livestock to the supplier. "I urge all parties, especially mosque and surau committees, to carry out early inspections to ensure that all aspects of the sacrificial process proceed smoothly," he added. –Bernama
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Selangor allocates RM6 mln for Aidiladha qurban livestock
SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government has allocated RM6 million to provide 700 cows and 1,000 goats for the qurban ritual at mosques and surau throughout the state in conjunction with Aidiladha next month. Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the livestock would be distributed to eligible recipients, including senior state government officials, mosques, and local community groups. 'The Selangor Qurban Contribution Programme (PSKNS) is a state government initiative coordinated by the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS) for seven consecutive years, funded through the Trust Fund for Contributions from State-Owned Companies, Statutory Bodies and Agencies of the Selangor state government,' he said. He added that PKPS, as the programme's implementing agency, manages all aspects of procurement, administration, and finance, under close monitoring by the PSKNS main committee chaired by state Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim. He said this in a speech delivered by Selangor State Secretary Datuk Dr Ahmad Fadzli Ahmad Tajuddin at the PSKNS official launch and voucher handover ceremony at Dewan Raja Muda Musa, here today. At the same time, Amirudin also reminded PSKNS organisers to ensure that the donated cattle and goats meet the religious requirements for the qurban ritual. He said all donated animals must meet the criteria set by Islamic law, including being free from defects, in good health, and having reached the required age of maturity. 'We do not want last-minute issues where animals are returned to suppliers due to failing to meet the criteria. 'Therefore, I urge all parties, especially mosque and surau committees, to conduct early checks to ensure a smooth qurban process,' he said.
