NCER: Is our bureaucracy up to it?
Published: Aug 2, 2007 9:27 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Amidst the fanfare over the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) and plans to transform four northern states into a booming modern food zone, a regional group poses this sobering question: is our bureaucracy up to it?
Amidst the fanfare over the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) and plans to transform four northern states into a booming modern food zone, a regional group poses this sobering question: is our bureaucracy up to it?
As part of the RM177 billion NCER programme launched by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Monday, the government plans to raise agricultural exports from RM32 billion to RM48 billion.
Padi yields will also grow from four tonnes per hectare to eight tonnes, average profit per hectare of cultivated land will rise to RM10,000 per annum, and agricultural land expand from 800,000 ha to one million hectare.
The Southeast Asia Council for Food Security and Fair Trade (Seacon), however, said the "troublesome government bureaucracy and red tape" may hinder the realisation and effectiveness of the NCER development programme.
Despite Abdullah's vow to slash away red tape after a World Bank report said the country's bureaucracy is deterring investors, Malaysia has long been criticised for its cumbersome administrative procedures in comparison to neighbouring countries.
"There is a need to reduce government bureaucracy and red tape," said the Petaling Jaya-based Seacon in a statement signed by its research and policy executive Ng Boon Chye.
Agriculture subsidies
Seacon also raised the issue of rising agriculture production costs amidst the stagnation of padi prices.
It said this puts to question the government's assertion that the NCER will raise average annual income in the region from the current RM2,477.
"Seacon calls on the government to increase all agriculture subsidies to a level sufficient to help farmers face the ever increasing agriculture production costs and ensure farmers' rights to save, cultivate and market their varieties."
The Northern Corridor Economic Region is a government initiative to boost the economy and raise income levels in the northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak over 18 years.
The masterplan includes key benchmarks, with the agriculture sector expected to increase its exports to RM48 billion by 2012 from RM32 billion in 2005.
For manufacturing, investments are projected to jump to RM24.3 billion by 2012 from RM16.5 billion in 2006, while the tourism sector aims to raise average spending per visitor to RM3,034 by 2012 from RM1,890 currently.
Government-linked conglomerate Sime Darby, which drew up the NCER masterplan, will act as a project manager and investor.
The launch of the NCER comes months after the prime minister kicked off the Iskandar Development Region in southern Johor state.
As part of the RM177 billion NCER programme launched by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Monday, the government plans to raise agricultural exports from RM32 billion to RM48 billion.
Padi yields will also grow from four tonnes per hectare to eight tonnes, average profit per hectare of cultivated land will rise to RM10,000 per annum, and agricultural land expand from 800,000 ha to one million hectare. The Southeast Asia Council for Food Security and Fair Trade (Seacon), however, said the "troublesome government bureaucracy and red tape" may hinder the realisation and effectiveness of the NCER development programme.
Despite Abdullah's vow to slash away red tape after a World Bank report said the country's bureaucracy is deterring investors, Malaysia has long been criticised for its cumbersome administrative procedures in comparison to neighbouring countries.
"There is a need to reduce government bureaucracy and red tape," said the Petaling Jaya-based Seacon in a statement signed by its research and policy executive Ng Boon Chye.
Agriculture subsidies
Seacon also raised the issue of rising agriculture production costs amidst the stagnation of padi prices.
It said this puts to question the government's assertion that the NCER will raise average annual income in the region from the current RM2,477.
"Seacon calls on the government to increase all agriculture subsidies to a level sufficient to help farmers face the ever increasing agriculture production costs and ensure farmers' rights to save, cultivate and market their varieties."
The Northern Corridor Economic Region is a government initiative to boost the economy and raise income levels in the northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak over 18 years. The masterplan includes key benchmarks, with the agriculture sector expected to increase its exports to RM48 billion by 2012 from RM32 billion in 2005.
For manufacturing, investments are projected to jump to RM24.3 billion by 2012 from RM16.5 billion in 2006, while the tourism sector aims to raise average spending per visitor to RM3,034 by 2012 from RM1,890 currently.
Government-linked conglomerate Sime Darby, which drew up the NCER masterplan, will act as a project manager and investor.
The launch of the NCER comes months after the prime minister kicked off the Iskandar Development Region in southern Johor state.
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