10 RMN Bakat Members Selected For First Hydroponic Farming Project

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) Family Welfare Association (BAKAT) of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Base Camp here has been chosen as the first group to implement the hydroponic farming project under the MADANI Economy Programme.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the programme, in collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), involves 10 BAKAT members, with an allocation of RM60,000.

"Every participant will receive a hydroponic set, greenhouse, solar system, including operational and maintenance equipment, and every participant is expected to earn a supplementary income of RM900 per month,” he said during his working visit to the RMN Kota Kinabalu Base, which is part of the Jelajah Wira MADANI programme for Sabah today.

Also present were Eastern Fleet Commander Vice-Admiral Datuk Khir Junaidi Idris, Assistant Chief of Staff Personnel Services Major General Datuk Riezal Arif Ismail and Naval Region 2 Commander Rear Admiral Datuk Yusne Mokhtar.

Mohamed Khaled said that through this programme, participants are expected to harvest their crops within six months, and the project will be expanded if successfully implemented with guidance from UMS.

Meanwhile, in a media statement after the programme, Mohamed Khaled handed over school supplies to 662 Sekolah Kebangsaan Pangkalan TLDM students and presented a mock cheque for RM25,000 to the school.

He said the MAF Disaster Emergency Aid was also given to 15 personnel who were affected by the recent floods in Sabah.

"In addition, a mock cheque from the MAF Disaster Emergency Fund totalling RM400,000 from 11 companies was handed over to the MAF Headquarters chief of staff, Lieutenant General Datuk Azhan Md Othman,” he added.

-- BERNAMA