The food crisis hit the world recently, making the government suddenly realised the importance of food. Other than to allocate a huge amount of money for rice cultivation, some experts also suggested that the people reduce rice consumption and eat sweet potatoes or potatoes. Suddenly, the people have to change their eating habit!

Some also thought of an idea to replace some oil palm estates with padi fields. The situation was similar to the 1970s when the rubber price dropped in the market. Many people switched to plant durians but when the supply of durians exceeded the demand for it, the people turned to plant oil palm. Not long ago, the price of rubber surged and some said they wanted to plant rubber indeed. We have always stressed on agricultural development but we just blindly followed the market trend. I wonder whether there are people still interested in padi cultivation if the world has a large surplus of food one day.

The food crisis could not be resolved within a short period of time, just like the situation when we sent an astronaut into the space. It would be a very narrow view as a former minister said that the United States was worried that we might become its competitors in space. Undeniably, we have many unused lands. But we simply cannot do what pleases us. The government was able to appropriate a huge amount of money but money was not almighty. We need people to manage the padi fields. I am afraid that it would take at least a year to get prepared for the implementation of the plan. I am afraid that it might be too late.

Perhaps the experts with the sweet potatoes consumption suggestion did not really know how expensive sweet potatoes could be. This kind of ideas were being proposed as we were in our hour of need. They thought the padi cultivation plan could be simply carried out overnight. Is it our typical thought to dig a well only when we are feeling thirsty?

The authority is now busy looking for padi fields. It makes people think of the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Star which used to be a topic of discussions due to its three-year-extension to complete. The then Minister of Work Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said that the foundation work was delayed as the hospital was built on a padi field. The padi field could be used to build a hospital as we were not facing the food crisis at that time, and no expert came forward to question about it. Today, how could such a precious padi field be “wasted” like that?

Similarly, our political arena is now facing a crisis. After the 8 March general elections, party-switching rumours could be heard everywhere. After BN coalition lost its two-thirds majority in the Parliament, it is now facing the danger of losing its federal regime, with the Sabah and Sarawak BN member parties threatening the ruling coalition that they might leave BN if their requests are not appropriately responded to. How could BN's foundation after 50 years be so fragile?

BN leaders of Sabah and Sarawak claimed that they were not well treated while a leader from the Peninsular sighed for being a “beggar” over all these years. Is it the fault of the BN's backbone Umno as it did not do a good job in the past 50 years? Pakatan Rakyat managed to gain only 82 seats in the Parliament while BN has 140 seats. Obviously, BN should be stronger. But why could BN be still threatened? Is it true that members parties in Sabah and Sarawak are fair-weather partners?

Umno used to be dominating although it has said it would not be a one-race party. Instead, it prefers to share the regime with other races. Presumably, the other 13 member parties were gratified. And now Umno is having a difficult time, this is supposed to be the best time for other member parties to repay its kindness. However, they did not do so. Instead, they demanded political concessions. Aren't they biting the hand that feeds them? And Sabah Umno was the most aggressive one. Gua Musang Umno Division Chief Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who is going to contest for the party's top post, said that there are big differences between Umno in the Peninsula and Umno in Sabah. Is it true that the South China Sea has isolated Sabah and Sarawak from the Peninsula?

The food crisis led to the change of the government policy. Perhaps it is a bit late to take action now but it is better than to blindly pursue development so we can be an advanced country but forget about our agricultural basis. We should not waste our favourable climate for agricultural plantations.

Similarly, politicians must maintain a moderate attitude during good times. The world keeps changing everyday. The time when we set the 2020 vision, no one could predict that we would have to suffer from the rising prices of rice, and BN had never thought of relying on the Sabah and Sawarak member parties to maintain its regime. Is it because we are lacking foresight and the sense of danger?

In order to avoid food crisis, we must widely plant padi. In order to avoid political crisis, we must carry out our duties well! (By LOW YAK BUANG/ Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Sin Chew Daily)