LAHAD DATU, Sept 6 — The area of Felda Wilayah Sahabat here, which is as big as the state of Melaka, holds great potential to be developed with various agricultural or livestock activities such as beef cattle breeding.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, in a statement today, said that the area has the potential to be a cattle breeding hub to cater to the high demand for beef.

Citing breeder Bakri Pawerdi, 34, as an example, Mustapa said that Bakri, who started the project with 20 cows in 2004 now breeds more than 4,000 cows.

He added that Bakri markets his livestock as far as Sarawak, while also exporting them to Brunei and that the monthly demand for his cow meat is high, up to more than 200 cows, but he can only supply 60 cows.

Mustapa said he had requested Felda and Sabah Development Corridor to assist Bakri in boosting his capability to rear more cows.

Meanwhile, Mustapa said that Felda needed a new, more sustainable model to reduce dependency on oil palm and rubber commodities in generating income.

In that regard, he said that the government would empower the Settlers Development Programme (PPP), outlined in the Felda White Paper.

Yesterday, Mustapa, who is on a two-day working visit to Sabah, announced an allocation of RM25 million to Felda Sahabat for its water supply project, as well as for the purchase of four generators and repair works of collapsed hill slopes. — Bernama