Jeanne Makes Me Green

I refer to the recent speech by Jeanne Abdullah in Rembau, urging housewives to grow vegetables in their gardens to help reduce their expenses in view of rising food prices (due to her husband’s misguided decision to raise fuel prices). You can find this laughable article in the government controlled New Straits Times but definitely not in Malaysiakini or Malaysia Today.

The speech was utterly ridiculous and downright condescending towards all citizens of modern Malaysia, especially when it came from the mouth of a Prime Minister’s wife.

First of all, how much can planting vegetables in our tiny backyards be economical enough to counteract the accelerating inflation rate of the country? Secondly, not all people live in landed properties. In fact, poor people are now forced to live in tiny pigeon holes called flats and apartments. Does she expect us to plant taugeh in our washing machines and brinjals on our balcony?

Lastly, does she know that there are actually Malaysians who have to work hard at two or three jobs in order to keep their families alive? Hello, not everyone can afford to hire a MAID to water the plants okay?

The root cause of inflation in this country is none other than fifty years of mismanagement by the powers that be. The solution – remove these people from power.

Now, let’s talk about the deplorable state of our agriculture sector.

Malaysia is blessed with fertile soil and constant weather throughout the year. We are safely enthroned between two big oceans rich with marine life.

And yet, why has our agriculture sector deteriorated to such a state that we have to import rice from Thailand to replenish our supply? It is a shame indeed that Malaysia has regressed to become a handicap that depends on neighbours for our staple food.

Instead of giving illogical speeches that showed one’s lack of knowledge on the subject, one should have suggested ways to revive our agriculture sector through a change in the government’s policies.

After so many decades of research and millions of ringgit spent, MARDI should have developed better strains of padi and modernize its cultivation. Sadly, as we can all see, this is not happening.

Where have all the millions gone to? Has it all gone into subsidizing farmers, when in actual fact part of the money should have gone into helping them improve their yield? Has the government forgotten the wise saying “Give a hungry man a fish, and he will not be hungry for a day; but teach him how to fish, and he will be able to feed himself forever”?

Malaysia needs to seriously revamp its agriculture policies. The real focus should be on providing adequate food supply for the people’s consumption instead of just concentrating on cash crops.

Instead of giving garden tips in their speeches, our government should be talking about ways to improve our methods of cultivation and productivity.

Below I reprint the article from New Straits Times.

2008/07/18
Jeanne: Grow more vegetables
By : Dharshini Balan and Heidi Foo

REMBAU: The prime minister's wife, Datin Paduka Seri Jeanne Abdullah, has urged housewives who like gardening to also grow vegetables as this could help reduce their expenses in view of rising food prices.

She said such efforts required minimal capital while the benefits could be reaped as early as four weeks after the seeds were sowed. "Apart from being a food source, these vegetables can beautify our surroundings. We can also work with neighbours to grow different kinds of vegetables."For example, one could plant chilies, while the other plants tomatoes and then you can do some barter trading. "This will not only help us reduce our household expenditure but also bring some profits."

Jeanne was speaking at the launch of the state-level Green Earth Project at Taman Rembau Utama here yesterday.Also present were Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Rembau member of parliament Khairy Jamaluddin.

Jeanne shared her experience growing vegetables, saying she and her husband shared a passion for gardening and would try to find time to indulge in the hobby."Although our garden is not big, we are happy to spend time working on it, especially when we are able to enjoy the fruits of our labour with our family and friends."

At another function, Jeanne said more should be done for the disabled.She called on private companies to show that they care by intensifying their corporate social responsibility programmes.

She was speaking after launching the "One Product, One Community Rehabilitation" programme at the Craft Complex in Seremban. More than 100 disabled people from seven districts participated.