James Kon
The Department of Agriculture and Agrifood under the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) signed a contract agreement with local company Beaver Engineering Sdn Bhd for the project ‘Design, Supply, Install, Testing and Commissioning of New Rice Mill, Paddy Dryer and Storage’ for Wasan Rice Processing Complex yesterday.
The signing at the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood headquarters was witnessed by guest of honour, Permanent Secretary at the MPRT Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab.
Acting Director of Agriculture and Agrifood Hajah Masliana Yuliah binti Abdullah signed the contract agreement, while Beaver Engineering Sdn Bhd Chairperson Pengiran Datin Hajah Juliana binti Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar signed on behalf of the company.
Acting Deputy Director of Agriculture and Agrifood Abuzar bin Haji Mohd Tahir and Beaver Engineering Sdn Bhd Deputy Managing Director Virginia Shim witnessed the signing.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, the project agreement for ‘Design, Supply, Install, Testing and Commissioning of New Rice Mill, Paddy Dryer and Storage’ for Wasan Rice Processing Complex was open for tender through a tender process in May.
Among the main objectives of the agreement are to upgrade rice milling services through increased milling capacity, increase rice drying machines and efficient rice storage facilities and ensuring as well as guaranteeing a consistent and quality supply of rice.
From August 1, the operation of the Paddy and Rice Processing Complex at Wasan Agriculture Development Area, Mukim Pengkalan Batu, previously operated by the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, has been taken over by Wasan Milling Company Sdn Bhd (WMC), a corporate entity fully owned by Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd as an initiative to corporatise the government’s services led by the MPRT, in collaboration with Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd.
In the transition phase of the corporatisation, the project for design, supply and installing the rice mill, paddy dryer and storage tanks is one of the government’s efforts to upgrade facilities with the use of rice milling machines with the latest technology to increase capacity production as well as leading to the production of better quality rice to fulfil the country’s growing needs to support the nation’s food security agenda.
