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Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Malaysia's own ‘kacang goat' may hold key to food security
Small but resilient, 'kacang' or Katjang goats are the only breed native to Malaysia. (Bernama pic) REMBAU : In a wooden paddock on the edge of a sun-beaten field here, livestock farmer Kamaruzaman Budin approaches five goats huddled in the corner of their new pen. With black, brown or mixed coats, the goats – of which three are short-eared and lean – have a diminutive size compared with those in the neighbouring pens, some of whom are taller than the railings. Kamaruzaman, 67, better known as Kamal, points to a brown goat with a black line along its spine. Then he points to another, then another. 'Ha, this is 'kacang',' he tells Bernama. 'One, two, three – kacang.' He has just acquired these five goats from another farmer. The seller claimed all five were purebred Katjang, or 'kacang' – the only goat breed native to Malaysia. However, Kamal has already noticed that two of the five have non-Katjang traits, with long droopy ears. The others may be purebreds, but he won't be sure until Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) scientists, who have been seeking and buying Katjang goats all over Malaysia, can verify their lineage via DNA testing. Nevertheless, Kamal considers himself lucky to have obtained them, as Katjang goats are becoming rare. 'The Katjang isn't big. And when it's not big, people aren't interested in raising it. They prefer imported breeds because they are big and their meat ratio is good,' he explains. 'But the good thing about the Katjang is that it is resilient and resistant to disease.' That resilience, long taken for granted, has become a matter of national concern. After decades of uncontrolled crossbreeding with imported breeds, the Katjang is facing extinction via genetic dilution. As Malaysia struggles with food insecurity, climate change, and increasing food import costs, the resilience of the Katjang may be the key to the solution. Scientists are racing to conserve the Katjang by employing traditional and new methods using DNA technology. Hardy goat Long before Malaysia imported refrigerated meats and had industrial farms, the Katjang was a familiar sight in villages. Farmers would let them forage on roadsides and in fields and forests. Livestock farmer Kamaruzaman Budin is waiting to see if all five of his newly acquired goats are purebred Katjang. (Bernama pic) Hardy and not fussy about what it ate or where it slept, the animal had many generations to evolve and develop a tolerance for Malaysia's heat and humidity, and against parasites and endemic diseases. 'The Katjang is indigenous for a reason. It's the best here,' said Dr Ainu Husna Suhaimi, principal research officer of advanced and reproductive technologies at Mardi. 'In Malaysia now, we are realising that our local animals are the most sustainable.' The Katjang's physical traits are distinct. Other than their small size, they have sleek black and/or dark brown coats, short and tapered upright ears, and straight and tapered upright horns. Adult males typically weigh under 30kg, far less than the imported Boer or Jamnapari goats, which can reach twice that size. Although the Katjang breed is very fertile, with twin births, its milk production is only enough for the kids. It is slower to grow to full size and is not very meaty. Because of these perceived disadvantages, the Katjang was gradually sidelined. 'At risk of extinction' Kamal remembers when he first started his farm in 1985, during which time he only raised Katjang goats. The focus slowly shifted to goats with higher meat yield; from 2004 onwards, Boer goats – with their impressive build and meat production – were imported from South Africa and Australia. However, it could not deal with Malaysia's climate, resulting in a 20% mortality rate, according to Mardi. 'If you talk to farmers now, what they want is survivability. Local is the most survivable and adaptable, so we know there is a demand for local breeds – but they are still small,' Ainu highlighted. To offset this, the government at the time encouraged farmers to crossbreed with the resilient Katjang. At first, this approach seemed like a win: hybrids grew faster and bigger and fetched higher prices. But the lack of a proper breeding programme caused the Katjang gene pool to become diluted over time. Any pure Katjang goats that remained were used again and again, causing inbreeding and resulting in smaller and unhealthy goats. Following a survey conducted by the veterinary services department (DVS) from 2001 to 2002, the Katjang was classified as being at risk of extinction, while the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) listed its status as unknown. Over two decades later, the Katjang's current numbers are unknown. Mardi has a herd of about 100 Katjang on its farm in Kluang, Johor, and its researchers are always on the search for more. Small goat, big potential Although the goat industry is small in Malaysia, there is a consistent market for it, especially among Muslims and Hindus. In 2023, the consumption of mutton, which includes goat and sheep meat, increased to 1.4kg per capita from 1kg the year prior, while Malaysia's self-sufficiency rate of the meat was at 8.7%, a drop from 10.7% in 2022. Dr Ainu Husna Suhaimi, head researcher of advanced and reproductive technologies at Mardi. (Bernama pic) Malaysia spent RM8.5 million importing live goats and RM18.62 million on live sheep in 2023, and RM772.4 million on fresh, frozen and processed mutton. Market analysts predict goat meat will become even more popular in the next decade, as more people will seek it for its leanness and other nutritional benefits. Malaysia's dependence on imports to meet food demand leaves it vulnerable to shocks to the supply chain, as the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and, recently, India-Pakistan tensions have shown. Meanwhile, local goat production is hampered by expensive feed, veterinary costs, and a high mortality rate. DVS researcher and geneticist Dr Ernie Muneerah Mohd Adnan believes that while the Katjang goat may not match imported breeds in terms of size or meat production, its adaptability to climate change could become critical for the future of Malaysia's livestock industry. 'Something in the middle' Today, the core of the Katjang rescue mission lies in a growing effort to locate and collect the DNA of pure Katjang goats. The project combines old-fashioned legwork and husbandry with modern reproductive methods and genetic science. Ainu's team has been fanning out across rural areas in peninsular Malaysia, visiting livestock farms and Orang Asli villages. When they spot an animal that looks promising – which is rare – they usually purchase the animals for their farm in Johor, collect samples, and sequence their genome for desirable genetic markers. Those with the desired traits will be used for selective breeding with other breeds, in hopes of producing bigger and meatier – as well as heat-tolerant and disease-resistant – Katjang hybrids. 'We decided we need to have something in the middle,' she explained. 'Now, we are developing our pure Katjang-Boer mix or Malaysianised Boer. For this, we need pure Katjang.' The selective crossbreeding programme utilises natural and artificial fertilisation methods, using semen or eggs stored in liquid nitrogen. Mardi prefers to use natural breeding as it tends to be more successful, with an 80% success rate, Ainu noted. But if this is not possible, then researchers will use artificial insemination or in-vitro fertilisation. The DVS also has a biobank of Katjang sperm samples. Having a ready supply of pure Katjang is necessary to refresh the genetic makeup of the Malaysianised Boer after several generations. It is an expensive and time-consuming process, but one that could safeguard the breed and the country's long-term food security. Mardi is developing a Malaysianised Boer by breeding the South African goat (above) with the local Katjang. (File pic) Despite the urgency, the Katjang conservation project faces daunting barriers. Researchers tell Bernama they have trouble getting funding or cooperation for conservation efforts because people, including farmers, don't understand the importance of saving local livestock breeds, not just wildlife. Without financial incentives or market demand for pure Katjang, most smallholders will not choose a smaller, slower-growing goat over a meatier import. 'Farmers often find it more profitable to raise imported or crossbred goats rather than purebred Katjang goats,' Ernie Muneerah commented. Some have floated the idea of subsidising farmers to not crossbreed their Katjang, and keeping a registry of farmers with pure Katjang that can be exchanged for breeding. Ultimately, stakeholders wish to fix the disconnect between scientists and farmers, and encourage farmers to use available resources such as Mardi and DVS to breed their livestock. Meanwhile, under the glare of the late afternoon sun in Rembau, Kamal pours a bucket of feed into a blue trough. The goats shuffle over, nudging each other gently. He watches them for a moment, thoughtful. 'If we look at it in terms of disease, they are really easy to raise, with not many health issues. When it comes to changes, whether climate or something else, I think the Katjang goat will definitely survive,' he concludes.
Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Madani economic reforms earn 50% score from Khairy
The number of people who pay taxes in Malaysia is disproportionately smaller than our peers, said Khairy Jamaluddin. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Former minister Khairy Jamaluddin has given the Madani government a 50% score for its performance on structural economic reforms since its formation in November 2022. Khairy pointed to three key areas that he believed demanded changes – widening the tax base, rationalising subsidies and pension reforms. He said the unity government has yet to carry out meaningful tax reforms to widen its revenue base, which he added was significantly lower even compared with peers in terms of gross domestic product. 'The number of people that pay taxes in Malaysia is disproportionately smaller than our peers, and that creates a problem for the government because your revenue base is too small. That's why we introduced the GST (goods and services tax),' he said, referring to the tax scheme introduced by the Najib Razak government in 2015. He pointed out that the planned expansion of the sales and service tax has been repeatedly delayed, while maintaining that a consumption tax like the GST was the way to go. (Government figures show that GST raised RM43.8 billion in 2018, while SST for 2024 is estimated at 44.7 billion) On subsidy rationalisation, Khairy said the biggest hurdle was targeting the RON95 petrol subsidies, which cost Putrajaya RM20 billion in 2023. The former Rembau MP said the last major reform needed was pension reforms, which is expected to balloon to around RM30 billion in the next decade. 'And it's going to rise because of the number of civil servants retiring, and life expectancy has also gone up,' he said, adding that the solution was getting rid of pensions for new government hires and shifting to EPF contributions. 'So if out of three big structural reforms, it's one and a half. So it's 50%,' he said in an episode of the Game of Impossible podcast with former minister Idris Jala and his son, Leon. The government is set to implement targeted subsidies for RON95 in the second half of the year, though details have not been released yet. Putrajaya has also announced that new civil servants would no longer get pensions but would contribute to EPF and the Social Security Organisation. Khairy reiterated that these reforms were important to ensure the country had enough funds for public services like health, education, and transport. 'You don't have enough money to make all the changes you want,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Ministers shouldn't have to fake it till they make it, says KJ
Former minister Khairy Jamaluddin said people appointed to the Cabinet need time to settle in and cannot be expected to know everything about their jobs from day one. PETALING JAYA : Newly-appointed ministers should be given more time to settle into their jobs after being appointed to the Cabinet, says former minister Khairy Jamaluddin. The ex-health minister said that members of the Cabinet were expected to know everything related to their portfolio from day one, adding that this was unrealistic. 'The moment a minister is announced and appointed, almost the very next day, they see the press, and the press asks them, 'What are your priorities? This guy doesn't even know what day it is. They have to pretend. I mean, fake it till you make it, right?' he said in an episode of the Game of Impossible podcast with former minister Idris Jala and his son, Leon. Khairy said ministers need at least two or three weeks to understand their ministries. The former Rembau MP recounted how he took matters into his own hands when appointed as health minister in 2021, a portfolio which he admitted he was not very familiar with at the time. 'I had some goodwill with one of the big consulting companies because they did work for me before. So I asked them, can you help onboard me; that was my own initiative,' he said. Khairy said the firm then arranged virtual briefings with health experts from around the world as he learned about the portfolio. 'They brought in their partners from all over the world, from healthcare financing, public health, health economics, looking at how other countries transform their hospitals.' Since Malaysia's political system does not appoint specialists to such posts, Khairy said ministers must make the effort to understand their roles. 'You want somebody who's considered, somebody who's measured, somebody who knows what's realistic, rather than somebody just spewing absolute nonsense on day one,' he said. Revamp ministry offices Khairy, who has also served as minister for science, technology and innovation as well as youth and sports, also criticised the way ministerial offices were structured in Putrajaya, saying the layout often separated the minister from key staff. 'You walk into the office and you know this room is the private secretary, this room is the press secretary… That's not being in the trenches with the troops,' he said. The former Umno man said he changed this in the health ministry at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, opting instead to work side-by-side with his officers. He said his room was the same size as that of the ministry's secretary-general, 'same size as the directors of the task force'. 'When the troops see the generals there together, decision-making is easier,' said Khairy.
New Straits Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Malaysia's foreign policy supports cooperation without external pressure
SEREMBAN: Malaysia's peaceful, independent and non-aligned foreign policy, which is also investor-friendly, enables the country to foster cooperation with any party without yielding to external pressure, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. He emphasised that Malaysia is free to engage and form bilateral relations with any nation, as long as they respect the international rule-based order. "This has been our policy since independence, and no one should be alarmed by our bilateral ties with any country, including Russia," he told reporters today. "As a sovereign nation, we have our own foreign policy grounded in peace, independence, and neutrality. We should not bow to or follow any party's pressure. We can engage and befriend anyone, as long as they observe international rules and laws," he said. Mohamad was speaking after officiating the 2025 state-level National Youth Day celebration at the Youth and Sports Complex in Paroi. Recently, media reports highlighted Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks that Malaysia–Russia ties are growing stronger, affirming both nations' commitment to deepening meaningful and productive cooperation. Putin made the remarks following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's official four-day visit to Russia from May 13 to 16. Mohamad, who is also Rembau member of Parliament, noted that although Malaysia–Russia relations have been longstanding, they have not been engaged at the highest level since the visit by the late Tun Abdullah Badawi in 2007. "I must emphasise that our friendship with Russia is not about adopting its ideology — our focus is on strengthening trade relations," he said. "As our economy is trade-based, it is crucial to open up markets as widely as possible so that our goods can penetrate new markets. "At the same time, we must attract as much foreign investment as possible to develop the country effectively," he added. He also shared that Russia has offered 50 scholarships for Malaysian students to pursue studies in technology and postgraduate degrees there.
New Straits Times
10-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Malaysians urged to defer non-essential travel to India, Pakistan
SEREMBAN: Malaysians planning to travel to India and Pakistan, especially to the Kashmir region, are advised to temporarily postpone non-essential travel due to ongoing unrest in both countries. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has also urged Malaysians currently in these countries, particularly students, to contact the nearest embassy or consulate to update their details. "Malaysians in India and Pakistan are urged to contact the embassies or consulates in both countries by providing their phone numbers and addresses. "This will ensure that the embassy can easily reach them in case of any emergencies. "Those currently in the region are also advised to avoid traveling to troubled areas, particularly in Kashmir. "To date, no Malaysians have been involved, but I urge them to exercise caution. If they are outside the affected areas, they should consider canceling any planned travel to those regions to avoid becoming victims or being impacted by any unforeseen events," he told reporters after officiating the Sekolah Kebangsaan Senawang 3 Parent-Teacher Association annual general meeting today. Present was the Negri Sembilan State Education Department director Khalida Omar. Mohamad was asked to comment on the latest developments following rising tensions between India and Pakistan, as international media reported that fighting between the two nuclear-armed neighbours is escalating. Recently, the Malaysian High Commission in New Delhi advised Malaysians to postpone all non-essential travel to India due to the cross-border attacks involving Pakistan. Commenting further, Mohamad, who is also the Rembau member of parliament, said that Wisma Putra had issued a statement urging both countries to de-escalate tensions to avoid further uncertainty and prolonged conflict. "Malaysia is concerned about the exchange of fire involving drones and rockets. This must be avoided. "We hope the leaders of both countries will consider the bigger picture, rather than focusing on actions that could strain bilateral relations," he said.
