Lil' Things of Me!

September 2021.

Citizens of Kuala Lumpur has taken the challenge by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI), via the Urban Farming programme, to help curb the ever rising cost of living in the metropolitan city. The programme, which was introduced by the Department of Agriculture Malaysia (DOA), under the Economy Regeneration Plan (PENJANA) in 2020 has been successful in attracting many individuals and organization to participate and generate their own income with their crops.

 KL City Mayor, Datuk Seri Hj Mahadi Bin Che Ngah and Special Officer of the Swedish Ambassador to Malaysia, Dr Joachim Bergstrom, visited the urban farming plots at Sungai Bunus Retention Pond, here recently. This particular area houses 9 plots of farming land, managed by their respective organisations, stretched to approximately 180 meters by 20 meters piece of land. The event was also attended by the general population after the officiating of the River of Life Programme 2021, inconjuction to the World River Day.

 A fellow manager, Mr Latiff Abu Hassan, from Sri Perlis 2 Flats, applauds the efforts of the government for such a brilliant plan in ensuring the continuity of family and personal economy, while the PENJANA grant has come as a good booster in encouraging great participation from the people. Apart from income generation, this initiative has also brought his fellow participants together in unity to learn and practice proper farming habits from other stake holders.

Isu ini sudah berlaku sejak hari pertama PKP/MCO. Banyak syarikat/majikan telah memilih untuk memberhentikan pekerja mereka atas alasan tiada kemampuan untuk membayar gaji (takde bisnes = takde duit), atau mengarahkan pekerja mereka untuk mengambil Cuti Tanpa Gaji (Unpaid Leave) tanpa perbincangan dengan pekerja.

Sepertimana yang telah diketahui, Malaysia kini mempunyai peningkatan dalam angka pengangguran, dan pada masa yang sama, kos saraan hidup yang tidak menurun. Walaupun kerajaan, melalui Kementerian Sumber Manusia dan Jabatan Tenaga Kerja telah mengeluarkan “notis” tentang perkara ini, masih tiada jawapan, maklum balas, ataupun tindakan daripada pihak kerajaan dalam pencarian penyelesaian. Soalan demi soalan telah diajukan oleh rakyat menggunakan saluran media elektronik, walaupun pihak media tidak menampakkan kepentingan dalam soalan ini, tetapi persoalan ini bagai diketepikan melalui Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) dan pengeluaran i-Lestari melalui KWSP. Harus diambil perhatian, golongan pekerja berhadapan dengan kehilangan pekerjaan sebagai hukuman jika melaporkan hal ini, atas klausa "kesetiaan kepada majikan yang tidak berbelah bagi" dalam kontrak/persetujuan pekerjaan.