PASIR PUTEH (Aug 29): The incoming Deputy Minister II of Agriculture and Food Industry, Dr Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh is set on a mission to attract young people, especially university graduates, to venture into the field of modern agriculture.

The Pasir Puteh member of parliament is among the 31 ministers and 38 deputy ministers in the new Cabinet who will be taking their oath of office, loyalty and secrecy at the Istana Negara tomorrow.

Nik Muhammad Zawawi said apart from generating income, the graduates can also develop the country’s agricultural sector using their knowledge.

The time has come for the graduates to change the mindset perpetuated by previous generations who were only aspired to work in the government sector after they finished with their studies, as the current government has provided them with vast opportunities to generate income through this sector, he added.

He told reporters this when asked to comment about his mission as the new agriculture and food industry deputy minister II at his office today.

Nik Muhammad Zawawi said young people should also emulate farmers in developed countries such as the United States who have managed to earn a lucrative income by cultivating crops commercially.

He said Malaysia has an abundance of opportunities that young people can explore such as working on idle lands like in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang to cultivate various short-term crops.

Besides that, he said he is also committed to increasing food production by local farmers to reduce dependency on food imports that cost billions of ringgit every year.