BAGAN DATUK: The Cabinet has agreed to restructure the Malaysian Cocoa Board to include coconuts under its purview, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said that the restructuring would not incur additional expenses or require new positions.
"This restructuring is an approach aimed at avoiding waste by utilising existing resources to benefit the coconut sector, not only in Bagan Datuk but across the country, including the west and east coasts as well as Sabah and Sarawak.
"Insya-Allah, we will achieve cooperation from all parties. We should not work in silos when promoting products, especially those that can generate extra income for rural communities," he said.
The Bagan Datuk MP spoke to reporters after the closing ceremony of the 'Malaysia MADANI, UNISEL Depani' Open Day tour and Kelapa Fest Bagan Datuk 2024 at Dataran Waterfront Bagan Datuk.
Ahmad Zahid added that the restructuring may not receive widespread publicity. He said he would personally follow up with the relevant minister to ensure the Cabinet's decision is implemented and to learn the new name for the board.
He noted that around 215,000 households are currently involved as coconut smallholders across Malaysia.
Regarding today's programme, Ahmad Zahid affirmed the ministry's commitment to holding similar events each year in the first week of October.
"We will collaborate with UNISEL (Universiti Selangor) and agrotourism associations and involve the Bagan Datuk Member of Parliament Office in hosting this programme.
"Next year, we plan to expand the participation... In addition to UNISEL and agrotourism associations, we will involve entrepreneurs from the coconut industry in the Kelapa Fest," he said.
Ahmad Zahid, who also chairs the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council, announced that UNISEL has been designated the sixth university in the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN), joining Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, and Universiti Kuala Lumpur.-- BERNAMA