PUTRAJAYA, Sept 26 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today urged Malaysians with unused land at home to take up small-scale farming as a way to reduce household expenses and reliance on market-bought produce.
Speaking at the national-level 40th-anniversary celebration of Pasar Tani here, Anwar said it was unreasonable for those with available space to complain about food prices while leaving their land unproductive.
“How can it be that homes with land are left idle, and then people complain that prices are high and they are forced to buy?
“Buying at pasar tani is one thing, where prices are relatively cheaper, but why can’t the many green plots of land be used for planting?” he said.
Anwar added that the government is prepared to provide support with seeds, technical guidance, and training, but stressed that the initiative must come from the people themselves.
He cited his own experience during the Covid-19 pandemic, when he planted pineapples, bananas, papayas, and vegetables at his homes in Segambut and Sungai Long.
“I only wanted to prove that this can be done,” he said.
Meanwhile, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu echoed Anwar’s call, saying the effort was not about commercial gain but about inspiring self-sufficiency.
He specifically encouraged those with larger properties, like bungalows, to cultivate crops.
“If they produce more than they need, they can donate it to others. Do it for charity. Let our gardens be green with food and vegetables,” he told reporters after the event.
Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, added that even aquaculture was possible in small spaces, noting that fish tanks can yield high returns with limited land.
He said his ministry will step up campaigns across TV, radio, and social media platforms like TikTok to promote urban farming and aquaculture among Malaysians.
