4/5/2023 MY GIFT TO BE FOR THE NATION - Sagu Sadong

Saya telah ke Papua New Guinea (PNG) sejak April 2007 dan kemudian beberapa siri berikutnya atas tugas untuk membawa pulang spesis rumbia yang terbaik dari sana. Juga saya telah diarahkan untuk melihat peluang pelaburan pemprosesan sagu. PNG dianggarkan mempunyai 5.00 juta hectare hutan sagu yang tumbuh melata saujana mata memandang di sepanjang Sg Sepik iaitu sungai terpanjang di negara itu. Pada Mei, 2008 iaitu sekitar 15 tahun dahulu, dalam lawatan saya ke tiga kalinya ke PNG, saya telah dimaklumkan adanya spesis khusus rumbia di kepuluan Bougeinville. Spesis ini adalah endemik bagi Baougeinville di mana pokok sagu spp ini tidak mengeluarkan sulur. Sifatnya seperti kelapa. Pembiakan adalah dari biji. Hasilnya juga dikatakan sangat tinggi. Ketinggian pokoknya saya perhatikan adalah sekitar 30-40 meter berbanding rumbia kita hanya sekitar 10-12 meter. Batangnya pula sememangnya jauh lebih besar dari yang ada di negara kita dan bahkan Thailand. Ada pihaki yang mengangarkan bahawa sebatang spp ini boleh menghasilkan satu tan tepung sagu ie 500 peratus lebih tinggi dari sagu kita.

(2) Perjalanan ke Bougeinville adalah amat menarik. Saya menaiki pesawat ke Rabaul Ibuwilayah Pulau New Britain dari Port Moresby (POM) ie Ibukota PNG. Tidak banyak sagu di New Britain. Dari New Britain, saya perlu ke Kavieng ibuwilayah Pulau New Ireland di luar New Britain. Dari Rabul ke Kavieng, saya perlu menaiki speed boat single engine 40 HP membelah Laut Bismark yang berupa sebahagian dari Lautan Pasifik lantatan pesawat dari Rabual-Kavieng adalah cukup tidak menentu. Perjalanan ini cukup menarik dan ngeri sebetulnya. Ngeri lantaran kami hanya menggunakan single engine dalam bot tanpa penutup. Hujan atau panas maka kami perlu hadapi. Bot pula sarat dengan segala jenis penumpang seperti ibu-ibu dengan anak-anak kecil. Tiada kemudahan keselamatan tersedia rapi. Pengalaman saya di Sarawak, kita biasanya ada spare engin. Cuma agak melegakan lantaran ada beberapa boat lain juga mengiringi kami. Rakan-rakan bersama saya mereka kelihatan cemas namun tidak buat saya mungkin pada masa itu saya adalah bujangan dan jiwa pertualangan para datuk-moyang saya bangkit pada diri saya. 

(3) Ada ketika boat kami akan dikejari oleh ikan lumba-lumba dolphine. Begitu juga saban ketika ada saja flying fish menjelma dari dalam laut dan terbang untuk beberapa puloh meter di depan kami.  Lantaran ombak kuat, saya tidak dapat merakam perlumbaan kami dengan ikan lumba-lumba ini dengan baik. Lagipun mereka tengelam timbul cukup cepat. Sesungguhnya pengalaman seperti ini cukup mengujakan serta sukar untuk ada kedua kalinya melainkan mungkin kita turut serta dalam National Geographic Expedition. Tempoh perjalanan dalam cuaca yang agak tenang memakan masa sekitar lapan jam membelah laut Pasifik Selatan. 

(4) Dari Kavieng kemudian ke Buka ie ibuwilayah Bougeinville saya perlu menaiki helikopter. Kerana terbang menggunakan helikopter, saya mendapat privilege untuk duduk di cockpit bersama pilot. Berbekal kamera Canon yang tercanggih pada masa itu, maka saya dapat berleluasa mengambil gambar di sepanjang penerbangan itu. Sesungguhnya tidak mudah untuk dapat ke Bougeinville jika tanpa kebenaran khas Gabenor wilayah tersebut. Ini lantaran Bougeinville adalah wilayah autonomus. Gabenurnya pula adalah bekas pemberontak yang menentang Kerajaan Pusat akibat rasa tidak senang hati mereka terhadap perusahaan perlombongan di Pulau itu di mana mereka hanya melihat sisa kemusnahan sedang para kapitalis dan koruptor bermewah-mewah senang lenang. Saya kebetulan agak akrab dengan anak Perdana Menteri Sir Micheal Somare yang bernama Sana Somare. Sana mempunyai hubungan rapat dengan Gabenur Bougeinville bernama Fidalis. Saya dalam usaha mencari ruang pelaburan juga telah membantu Sana Somare untuk membuat Pelan Induk Pembangunan Wilayah Wewak iaitu wilayah pegangan ayahnya. Sana menyarankan agar saya ke Bougeinville untuk bertemu Gabenur Fidalis dan merangka Pelan Pembangunan bagi Bougeinville yang mana saya lakukan dengan agak pantas menggunakan teknologi GIS dan Remote Sensing. Hakikatnya, saya dapat menyelam sambil minum lantaran kepakaran saya dalam bidang GIS dan Perancangan Wilayah dan Desa. Biarpun saya berada 3,000 KM dari Pejabat, namun tetap saya boleh berhubungan dengan para pakar GIS dan Remote Sensing saya untuk memandu mereka membuat Pelan seperti saya rencanakan. 

(5) Sesungguhnya, dengan kebenaran Fidalis, saya kemudian dapat membawa pulang 20 biji buah spesis sagu endamik Bougeinville. Caranya adalah lewat tipu muslihat: "Nenek saya suka makan biji sagu, dan biji sagu berkenaan adalah paling besar pernah saya lihat dan pasti enak buat hadiah kepada nenek saya". Fidalis percaya, lalu membenarkan saya membawa pulang biji-biji sagu berkenaan, biar hakikatnya nenek saya semua sudah tiada. Saya perlu akal licik untuk dapat membawa keluar biji sagu berkenaan.

(6) Bougeinville adalah sebuah kepulauan gunung berapi. Seluruh banjaran tengah pulau adalah siri gunung berapi yang separuh aktif iaitu tetap mengeluarkan lava yang kecil. Saya difahamkan, aliran anak-anak sungai yang terhasil oleh banjaran pergunungan berapi ini sentiasa mengalirkan bijih-bijih emas. Namun oleh kerana Bougeinville terpisah agak jauh dari pulau besar PNG, maka dagangan emas mentah ini tidak dimungkinkan. Bukan saja di Bougeinvill perkara ini terjadi, malah di banyak tempat di PNG kita boleh mendapati bijih-bijih emas. Jika kita ke pasar minggu di Port Moresby, Lae atau Wewak, kita akan dapati penduduk tempatan berjual bijih-bijih ini. Keseluruhan kepulauan Bougeinville adalah pulau batu karang yang cukup indah dipandang dari udara. Ianya merupakan gugusan pulau-pulau dengan air hijau biru yang cukup tenang dan nyaman. Pada ketika-ketikanya kita akan dapat melihat sekumpulan ikan-ikan tuna dan dolphine saling berlumba-lumba di perairtan luar pantainya. . 

(7) Pulau-pulau kecil yang bertaburan di sekeliling Bougeinville. Cukup indah. Cukup menyegarkan. Paling menguja buat saya lantaran Sarawak atau Borneo sangat kurang adanya pulau-pulau di luar persisir. Pulau-pulau ini membentuk lagoon yang cukup indah dan banyak ikan. Kuasa Allah, kepulauan seperti Baougeinville yang kecil tirus dan mempunyai tanah datar yang agak terhad, tidak mungkin bijirin berupa pilihan terbaik sebagai tanaman ruji mereka. Sagu spp khas Allah adakan dan di luar pantai pula penuh dengan kekayaan protein. Hotel tempat saya menginap di bina di tebingan pantai batu karang. Di dalam air di bawah hotel tersebut, sememangnya penuih dengan segala jenis ikan. Bahkan gamat juga kelihat banyak. Ibarat jika kita hendak memancing, kita boleh pilih ikan mana yang hendak kita pancing. Sebegitulah kekayaan Bougeinville yang Allah anugerahkan. 

(8) Bougeinville mempunyai keunikan luar biasa. Flora faunanya sememangnya cukup mengkagumkan. Paling menarik perhatian saya adalah warna kulit penduduknya. Cukup hitam. Bukan hitam sebarangan hitam. Sehitam hitamnya keyboard PC. Namun biar hitam, mereka berpunya kulit hitam yang halus. Tidak kasar seperti Minah Hitam Amerika. Jika kita teliti betul-betul, wajah para wanita mereka mirip Melayu. Hidung kereka tidak pesek, tidak juga mancung. Mereka berpunya raut yang unik buat saya. Ini mungkin kerana mereka lebih suka digelar sebagai Malanesia dari Polinesia. Untuk mempotret gadis sisipan di sebelah, saya perlu meningkatkan ke ISO 500 untuk dapat menangkap wajahnya. Setakat ISO 100 atau 200 yang biasa kita gunakan sebagai ISO standard, wajahnya akan tampak kelabu. Buat saya mereka "hitam menawan". "Hitam manis". Rambut mereka tidak kasar biar kelihatan kasar. Rambut mereka cukup lembut, selembut kapas. Saya ada berseloroh dengan Gabenur Fidalis, bahawa saya berminat untuk membawa pulang seorang gadis dari sana. Cuma dia berseloroh balik "Are you sure, you sure can't stand their betel nut chewing habit". Saya berkata sebegitu sebab Gabenur Fidalis kebetulan ada anak perawan yang cukup menarik (gambar sisipan). Benar, biar anak-anak apa lagi yang dewasa, mengunyah pinang adalah budaya mereka. 

(9) Dalam menulis artikel ini, saya tersenyum sendiri membayangkan saya melamar anak Gabenur Fidalis dan beliau menjadi suri saya pada masa itu. Minat ada namun kenapa saya terlalu lembab untuk make the move. Sebegitulah saya seringnya. Jika dia saya ambil jadi isteri, nescaya kini saya pasti boleh berdiri sebaris Taib Mahmud bersama isterinya Ragad Kurdi. Ini barulah perbandingan sagu Bougeinville berbanding sagu Mukah.

(10) Foto ini saya ambil menggunakan ISO 300. ISO 100 tidak menjelaskan wajahnya. Lihat rambutnya, bukan kuning, bukan brown. Warna rambut seirah warna perang bulu lembu ini adalah asli, tulin bukan didye.  Kerinting sememangnya kerinting, tetapi bukan keriting Masai Afrika. Jika dijamah ianya selembut sponge. Saya gemar mengusap rambut mereka. Anak mata mereka hitam pekat apa lagi dibungkus oleh kornia yang putih cerah. Bibir mereka tipis tidak tebal bagikan puak-puak hitam Afrika. Body built khasnya yang remaja cukup gesit genit. Dalam firasat orang tua dulu-dulu, sosok mereka adalah benih zuriat banyak, peridi kata Melayu Sarawak.

(11) Gambar sisipan ini adalah pokok sagu Bougeniville dari benih yang saya bawa pulang pada tahun 2008. Kesemua 20 biji yang dibawa pulang tumbuh dengan baik. 18 pokok benih saya minta pihak Kerajaan Negeri uruskan dan saya membawa pulang ke kampung dua pohon sebagai warisan saya. Di pihak Kerajaan Negeri, agensi yang bertanggungjawab menanamnya di tanah gambut. Saya di Sadong Jaya, di laman rumah saya adalah tanah tanih alluvial sama seperti tanah di Bougeinville yang saya perhatikan cuma devoid of volcanic elements. Pokok ini saya tanam sekitar 2009 dan sekarang sudah berusia sekitar 14 tahun dan sudah matang penuh ie berbunga. Ketinggian pokoknya saya kira sekitar 50-60 kaki tinggi. 

(12) Pokok disebelah kiri baru saja mulai berbunga sekitar March, 2023 sedang yang disebelah kanan telah berbunga pada March 2022. Pokok disebelah kanan kini berbuah sangat lebat. Saya hampir-hampir kecewa bila pada sekitar Januari 2022 melihat pokok di sebelah kanan mulai mengeluarkan pucuk bunga sedang bunganya tampak tidak menjadi. Saya sangat berharap ianya akan berbunga dan berbuah bagi membolehkan saya membiakkannya kemudian kelak. Hampir-hampir pada Feb., 2022 saya hendak menebang keduanya. Namun kuasa Allah, cuaca yang sentaias berangin menangguhkan niat saya sehingga pada suatu pagi sekitar March 2022 saya lihat bunga-bunga kecoil berhamburan di gazebo di sebelah pokok-pokok tersebut. Saya cuku bersyukur kepada Allah bila mendongak ke atas dan melihat bunganya mekar dan kelihatan berkelompok seperti saya tunjukkan di dalam foto di sebelah. Namun di sepanjang 6-9 bulan 2022 saya tidak melihat apa-apa perkembangan. harapan saya kembali pudar. Namun pada suatui petang saya dengar burung pilin riuh rendah di atas pohon berkenaan memakan buahnya yang masih kecil-kecil. Saya kembali lega cuma khuathir burung-burung itu akan merontokkan semua buah yang baru berputik. 

(13) Gambar ini adalah buah dari sagu yang telah berbunga sekitar March 2022 (ke kiri sudu). Ianya memerlukan sekitar setahun baru mencapai sebesar buah pinang. Saiz matang adalah sekitar empat kali saiz berkenaan. Melihat akan perkembangan ini, saya menjangka buah matang hanya diperolehi sekitar Sept., - Okt., 2023 ie 18-24 bulan selepas pembungaan. Manakala di sebelah kanan sudu adalah bunga dari pokok sebelah kiri gambar di atas. Ianya mula berbunga pada March 2023. Saya berdoa agar buah-buanh yang terhasil adalah tulin serta subur. Saya berkira 200 - 300 biji boleh diperolehi dan jika itu betul, maka kawasan seluas 40 - 60 ekar adalah diperlukan untuk menanam benihnya nanti. Saya bercadang untuk put aside lima ekar untuk keperluan ini dan selebihnya saya berkira mahu agihkan kepada penduduk setempat untukl ditanam di sepanjang benteng tebatan banjir Sadong Jaya. 

(14) In Shaa Allah jika ini berjaya, maka sagu Bougeinville akan bertukar nama menjadi sagu Sadong. Gambar sisipan di sebelah adalah pohon ynag kini sedang berbuah lebat. Saya mungkin perlu terbang ke Bougeinville untuk memohon maaf kepada Fidalis kerana membohongi beliau betapa nenek saya gemar makan biji sagu sedang hakikatnya In Shaa Allah sagu Bougeinville akan menjadi sagu Sadong. Mudah-mudahan kerja-kerja Henry Nicholas Ridley di tahun 1888 yang membawa keluar benih getah dan sawit ke Bogor lalu kemudian menanamnya di Malaya akan saya jejaki.Sagu jenis ini tidak mengeluarkan sulur, maka pertumbuhannnya pasti lebih cepat dan kerana ianya membiak melalui biji, sebarang perubahan cuaca pasti akan menjejaskan pengeluaran bijinya.  Cuma caveat yang semua harus sedari, Baougeinville tidak berpunya tanah gambut. Tiori mereka yang tidak dapat memisahkan dengan fikiran bahawa sagu 

tumbuh di kawasan berair yang saya tidak pernah yakini harus diberikan perhatian jika ingin menjadikan sagu ini sebagai komoditi baru negara. Pandangan unothordox saya betapa, sago is not a grazing animal, so much so, ianya perlu dibersihkan bagai tanaman lainnya; sago is a living plant, maka ianya perlu pembajaan dan tidak boleh dibiarkan kepada alam untuk ianya mengeluarkan hasil yang tinggi; dan sago is not a fish, definitely its need water, but it doesn't need too much water to swim. Inilah prinsip yang saya pegang bila diamanahkan untuk mengurus Ladang Sagu Pertama Dunia pada 2002-2011. Namun saya gagal lantaran terlalu banyak pihak tidak percaya dengan apa yang saya percayai sehingga seperti janji saya kepada Taib Mahmud bahawa saya akan "resign" jika saya gagal memajukan industri sagu, dan itu merupakan sebahagian kenapa saya mengundur diri dari perkhidmatan awam pada 2011 ie sepuloh tahun lebih awal dari usia bersara wajib saya.

(15) Jika andaian bahawa sepohon sagu ini boleh menghasilkan satu tan tepung sagu, maka seekar tanaman sagu ini pada kepadatan 50-55 pohon seekar, pada harga sagu masa kini RM2,500.00/tan maka seekar tanah boleh menghasilkan RM125,000.00/ekar/pusingan atau RM10,416.00/tahun. Namun ekonomi sagu adalah jauh lebih baik dari ini jika kita mampu mencontohi ekonomi jagung di Barat. Saya telah mengamalkan menggunakan parutan sagu yang digaul bersama pelbagai bahan lain sebagai makanan ternakan seperti ayam, ititk, dan ruminen. Sesungguhnya, sagu mempunyai potensi jauh lebih besar dari jagung atau gandum jika kita cukup innovatif. Malang sagu terlalu lama disorot sebagai komoditi dari sudut pentadbiran awam dan bukan komersil sejati.

Terasi, Sadong Jaya

13 Mei, 2023

 

1/6/18 SAGO - Allah blessing that Sarawak and Malaysia had ignored

INTRODUCTION:

Sago, sagu, sasak, rumbia, lumbia, masago yashi as the plant is internationally; Indonesian, Papua, Malay, Tagloq and Japanese-wise known is a very unique and Allah blesses crop. In Latin it is known as Metroxylon sagu. This is the limited plant species that bears starch in its trunk as compares to others which are either tubers and or cereals. Sago belong to the palmae plant family. Sago is among the few palms that bear starch in the trunk as compares to other palm species which mostly bear fruits of different types vis coconut, nipah, areca, etc. To the native of Brazil, Borneo, Papua etc, the real delicacy of sago is the sago warm (the larvae of rhinoceros beetle), the milky high protein stuff taste as peanut once roasted as many said, but I dare not try. In Sarawak, if one visit Mukah, a coastal town in mid Sarawak, one can have a try on this siat delicacy. They said nice to have siat with canes of beer, and that is what they always do down there.

(2) My aim of writing this article, is to support the international interest over the plant as source of human energy, pharmaceutical, biofuel, and even for the aquaculture and livestock feeds development. Sago traditionally and even to this moment is still being treated as source of starch, nothing more. I believe, based on my experiences, knowledge and even personal perception, this plant warrant a just treatment as a gift from Allah for all humankind. I'm having a strong believe that after Taib Mahmud is no more the Chief Minister of Sarawak and with the hunger for faster return of investment; ROI, Sarawak will not be able to succeed to make sago as its prime agriculture commodity. Accordingly after Peter Chin had left MoPIC, the interest over sago at the Federal Ministry level is subsiding fast. Based on my Paper to the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister Department, Peter Chin indeed had made Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB) to start a trial plot of 100 acres in Penor, Pahang to show case sago development on commercial basis. Upon the success establishment of such plot, now MPOB is in dilemma on what to do next.  I dare to say, Sago Industry in Sarawak (and Malaysia) will die to its natural course. Thus, I have lost patience and passion to see the growth of sago industry in Sarawak, to which I would like to throw this idea of Sago great prospects for international people to pick it up especially among the Japanese, Chinese and Indian. Indonesia and the Papua New Guinea (hopefully the poor) will benefit the best if sago industry could be well developed. Nonetheless, Mahathir now is back as the PM of Malaysia where in his earlier era, sago plus jatropa and kenaf had been identified as new agriculture growth areas. MoPIC was then tasked to advance the R&D on these crops. Now he is back, will he still remember to his directive on the matter?

(3) This writing is not a comprehensive presentation of sago as a whole, but as much as possible I'll dwell on its key economic, agronomic, and some industrial technical advantages over especially oil palm and rice. My direct involvement in the sago industry began in 2003, when I was tasked to spearhead the Sarawak GLC, LCDA, but I decided to leave the whole system by 2011. I had tried hard to bring some changes in the ways sago had been developed in Sarawak and Malaysia as a whole. In term of development policy, I had managed to get sago be treated separately from being continued categorized as minor crops as spelt out in the State and National Agriculture Policy. Indeed, the success must be attributed to Muhhyddin Yasin when he was the MoA Minister. I managed to take him down to explore and have a hand-on experience over the plantation and smallholders satellite estates being developed by LCDA in Mukah somewhere in 2007 (?). My best memory of his trip was when I took him for breakfast by the hawkers' stalls next to the Pasar Mukah, a real old day kopitiam treat. We sat among the local folks enjoying Kopi O and pulut panggang, but then when people began to realise who he was, as politician he then had to be busy greeting every body and later drifting mingling in  Walk-About-the Pasar Mukah. Unfortunately he left the MoA too early before I could work with him to get the Federal Grant to fund the development of 5,000 hectares satellite estates per year as he had suggested. But then, I was lucky to have known Peter Chin, whom then was MoPIC, while I was serving the R&DO Bintulu, thus, despite he was a bit conservative, I did managed to get good inflows of Federal Grant for the sago smallholder development in Mukah, Balingian and Pusa.

(4) Technically or agronomically, I had worked hard to infuse the concept of sago planting areas must be developed to be as good or even better than the oil palm. My observation in Sarawak, Sabah, Malaya, South Thailand; sago strive the best on alluvial soil. On peat soil, the land preparation must be as good or better than the oil palm. The development of sago plantation on deep peat area must come with heavy investment for the real good plantation development and management. In Papua, Papua New Guinea, and even those areas such as Lombok, Seram and Kendari, the Far Eastern Indonesia, I observed sago also strive well on much higher rolling grown. From what I had seen, despite the land are much higher and rolling, the ground is always wet or damp. The foggy island micro-climate environment and as well as the long sago frond, broad leaves and fibrous trunk contribute to such consistent ground dampness and good growth of the sago. Sago seem had been created and equipped to be able to capture fog and dew at night or early morning for its survival purposes. I believe the spongy trunk, long frond and broad leaves of sago played the seme role as those air-spongy root of orchid. In deed SubhanaAllah, such is the ecological indicators that people should had understood of sago best planting ground requirement: soft but good density ground, wet but well drain. The Melanau and Iban farmers and indeed widely practiced in Malaya and Thailand, sago is always associated with paddy growing areas; instinctively they knew about this, yet our scientists and planters ignored such indicators. Some headway, despite facing with great resistances were made in those areas, but unfortunate after I left, the whole system seem to revert back to where it had began. Pulang asal balik asal, as the Malays called it.

(5) There are substantial writing on the sago technicality and or ethno-botany available out there, but very less on the economic and commercial aspect of its. Accordingly, the primitive sustenance of the Indonesian and PNG sago industry is all about the incapability of their governments in dealing with the heritage Customary  Land Tenure System of the Far East Pacific. Papua and Papua New Guinea plus all those sago islands in the far eastern Indonesia, not only they could meet the vision of Isao Nagato, but most important, the nurturing and advancement of the sago commodity from my personal perspective, definitely would transformed their people livelihood be even better than of the oil palm industries. Sago is starch-based, a non-competitor to oil palm and alike. Wheat, maize, potatoes, cassava etc can be the threat to the development of sago industry and vice versa, but as we know starch is in shortage worldwide. Very unfortunate for the PNG, not only they are having problem with their uneducated population, but foreign interference into their natural resources management had hindered the economic advancement of their population. For instance, the Green Peace and Australian interest to protect marshland forest of PNG and Indonesia, I would say may have such agenda in their mind if not for reason to sustain their marine resources. Mismanagement of the PNG and Papua marshland can be a catastrophe for the South Pacific marine resources.

(6) Sarawak is the world champion for sago industry. Since 1880s, Sarawak is world sago exporter despite probably having the least area of natural sago. Sarawak had developed the finest processing technology which is home grown by a cartel of smallscale industrialists. The pioneer in Sarawak sago industrial development, I would believe began in Sibu. The Foo Chow ethnic Chinese whom dominate Sibu in those day, due to the peaty land nature of the region, they couldn't grow rice, thus learning from the local natives particularly the Malanaus and Iban, they then took sago as their staple food. But as time progress and due to resource locational advantage, Mukah then began to take on Sibu as key sago industrial development. The Melanau of Mukah ( and the Iban along the Rajang river bank) were not paddy farmers. Thus, they treated sago as their staple food. I would believe, the Melanau involvement in sago farming was the real starter of the sago industry. Again the Foo Chow of Sibu, expanded the traditional Melanau sago industry to the present much modern undertaking. Unfortunately since 1980s, the Sarawak sago industrial development remain stagnant due to resources problem and industrial perspective issues. Sago flour production had remain to about 50,000 Mt/yr since 1980s to this day.

(7) The Sibu and Mukah Foo Chow advancement in developing sago processing or sago flour extraction industry is nothing sophisticated. They indeed started by looking at the way the local traditionally had been extracting the sago milk know as rippo by shredding the sago pith then soaking them in water container while the ladies then step on it to milk the flour out. From such, then they came with the idea of mechanical shredding and pressing of the sago fiber. The sago milk then had to be pushed to certain shieving system before going onto the dryer conveyor and so on. Today sago processing industry indeed is a mixture of cassava, potatoes and timber processing technologies. The combination and fine tuning of these technologies would give one a fine modern sago processing factory. In 2011, a two tonnes sago factory cost around RM3.50-5.00 million set up.

(8) Papua (Indonesia) and Papua New Guinea are homes for the world natural sago. In both Countries, they have at least 5.00 million hectares of natural sago land each. As I said, despite various attempt to develop the sago industry in Papua and PNG, there seem to be not much progress. Papua and PNG are having too much option for the industrialist to really going into sago. Probably until and unless they are dried of their other easy lucrative options then sago would be the focus. The same applies for Sarawak. I can foresee the diminishing of sago industry in Sarawak is mainly due for Sarawakian had been seeing sago nothing beyond the linut ie boiled sago flour and or dried sago granule which has very limiting acceptance as source of food even among the local. Thailand despite having lesser sago area within the Nara-Pattani region, their sago food-based application industry is doing far better than Sarawak. Indonesia, definitely is the world largest sago flour producer, but due to their large population, their sago is all eaten as bakso. The PNG sago industry had remained as the traditional Sarawak in the 1930s.

FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC:

The international interest over sago was officially recorded in 1976 when an International Sago Symposium was first held in Kuching through the initiative of the Dr. Isao Nagato who provided financial support to fund the Society for the Sago Palm and Sago Culture of Japan (presently the Society of Sago Palm Studies). Being in the army in the WWII he had seen the human famine miseries at such time, thus Nagato realized sago could be the solution to the possible human and fuel hunger crisis of the 21st century. Thereon, he initiated various studies and seminar on sago.

(2) To me, Isao Nagato fit into what the Malays proverb saying Kuman di seberang laut nampak, gajah mati depan mata tidak nampak of which literally means one can clearly sees a bacteria across the sea rather a death elephant under his nose. Nagato can foresee the great future of sago but not the Sarawakian (Malaysian), Indonesian and Papua. Sarawakian see more of the timber prospect in Brazil, Malawi, Russia and New Zealand rather the sago at home.

(3) The economic of sago couldn't be well comprehend without one looking at it from the comprehensive agronomic and industrial (economic and commercial) applications. Let me presented a brief economic and industrial significance of sago as the basis to evaluate the commodity economic advantages. Naturally and by researched, sago palm ideal density growing is almost similar to the oil palm ie 125-150 palms per hectares. This density had been practiced by the local farmers, by the Sarawak LCDA and even a sago plantation in Pulau Besar, Rhiau, Indonesia. Differing from oil palm, sago palm normally growing in cluster except for one species that is endemic for Bougainville Island of the PNG. Ideally, each cluster should be maintained to have 5-7 palms of different growing stages. Such "plantation" practices either in Sarawak and Pulau Besar, Rhiau, Indonesia, planting density of 125-150 palms per hectare with each cluster having 5-7 standing are adopted. Such practices is by reason to achieve about 80-100 palms per hectare harvesting annually.

(4) The Sarawak species and those that I observed in Malaya, Thailand, the Philippines and Java, sago takes about 10-12 years to achieve full maturity. Matured sago palm will normally produce a 10-12 meter trunk (log) filled up with sago starch. The matured sago palm would generate more and better quality of sago flour. Younger palm produce less and a bit inferior flour quality especially for bakery and food production purposes but still could be converted into other great industrial purposes. Indeed the other industrial applications of sago had not been well developed thus far, which I'ii touch on later

(5) With the harvesting rate of 80-100 palms/year, and for the Sarawak local species of 20-25 per cents flour extracting rate (FER), from 10-12 years onward after first planting, a yield of 16-25 mt of flour is expected for a hectare of sago farm. There are reports indicating the Indonesian and PNG varieties could produce 30-40 per cents FER. Since sago need no replanting, therefore from year 10th onward, the graph of sago production is considered constant at 16-25 mt/yr/ha. In comparison to oil palm, in term of yield, the oil palm Fresh Fruit Bunch FFB is equal to the sago log. Thus the crude palm oil CPO is then equivalent to the sago flour. Based on such perspectives, it is clearly shown that sago productivity is much higher than the oil palm. On per hectare basis, oil palm would produces 20-25 mt FFB and conversion to CPO would be around 4-6.25 mt/ha. On the other hand, sago would produce 80-100 mt of sago logs on per hectare basis. These logs is about 10 meters in length with about 45-60 cm in diameter. The wet weight of these logs is estimated about 1 mt/log. Therefore, the wet weight of harvested sago logs per hectare is estimated to be around 80-100 mt/ha/yr. With the flour extraction rate of 20-25 per cents, sago would produce 16-25 mt/ha/yr flour. In these senses, sago definitely is about 400 per cents much productive than the oil palm.

(6) The gestation period for oil palm is about 30 months upon planting. By the  eighth year, an oil palm is considered at full maturity, giving a yield of almost 20-25 mt/ha/yr FFB. By month thirty, the yield increases from 3-5 mt/ha/yr reaching to about 15-17 mt/ha/yr on the fifth year. The palm sustain its productivity of averaging 20-25 mt/ha/yr from year eight to year 22nd. Thereon the yield began to  diminish and needing replanting by the year 25th. Graphically, the productivity of an oil palm is about half parabolic in nature.  In fact, without replanting after year 25th, the productivity graph would turned a complete concave as shown in the graph to the left. Thus oil palm has a high and low pattern of productivity. If we take a 25 years life cycle of an oil palm, the total FFB production is estimated to be around 350-410 mt and equivalent to 80-90 mt of CPO and 12-20 mt PKO.

(7) In the palm oil industries, for every 1 Mt CPO produced, there will be about 1 Mt/dried fibrous biomass production (?). With the present technology and fuel demand, all these are now being slowly converted into compacted cube-biofuel. Similarly, the palm kernel shell are being converted into many other byproducts. Palm cake is another important byproduct of the CPO making process. Palm cake had been widely used in the livestock feed development. The only palm oil waste is the sludge., which still not seriously being studied for bio-gas and bio-fertilizer production. As a whole, though there should be more industrial application be discovered, the oil palm related industries had matured and being well developed by the MPOB and parties concern.

(8) On the other hand, working on the Sarawak species or variety, sago would need a gestation period of 10-12 years depending on the soil type. Sago growing on alluvial soil would need less gestation period comparatively to other less fertile soil such as the peat area. For good alluvial soil, around year 10th, the palm is ready to be harvested. As I had mentioned earlier, the planting density for sago range 125-150 palms/ha. By taking into consideration of 70 per cents of the plantation good performance, this planting density would thus be giving about 80-100 palms/ha/yr. Sago trunking (log) yield can be depicted by the S-curve Growth Pattern as shown in the Graph to the left. In term of biomass ie FFB equivalent as in the oil palm, 80-100 palms/ha is equal to 80-100 mt of 10 meters sago logs.  Conversion into flour, ie CPO equivalent as in the oil palm, 80-100 of 10 meters sago logs would generate about 16-20 mt of sago flour. Taking this fact alone, within the first 25 years equivalent life cycle of the sago palm, a total of 1,200-1,500 mt sago logs could be produced, which is 350-400 per cents more productive than the oil palm. Accordingly, for the first 25 years life cycle, a total of 160-200 mt of sago flour could be generated. This is 200-225 per cents more productive if compared to CPO production equivalent.

(9) In Shaa Allah sago need no replanting. There will be no second gestation period. Thus say in the second 25 yrs life cycle of sago plantation as against oil palm plantation, by no way the oil palm plantation can out do the sago plantation both in term of productivity and return by assuming all other factors remain constant. Say using a 50 years life cycle ie two 25 years life cycles; on per hectare basis, only about 160-180 mt CPO will be produced as compared to 560-700 mt sago flour. Indeed in a two oil palm planting cycles, a total of 5 years gestation period and followed by at least 10-16 years of lower yield period (30-40 per cents) is expected. This 5 years of gestation period and 10-16 years of low yield period is much higher costly for an oil palm development as compared to the sago. The appended Graph above is my theoretical comparison for yield productivity generated by sago and oil palm on per hectare basis over the 50 years life cycle. The graph clearly showing the cyclical nature for the oil palm while very higher, stable and sustainable for the sago.

(11) Indeed, at time of global environment concern over agriculture production, I dare to say, based on the productivity graph as shown above, sago is not only very stable and sustainable crop, but a much environmental friendly as compare to all others. Sago land will only be baron once but never be repeated as compare to wheat, maize, soy bean, rice, cassava, and or even the oil palm plantation.  Sago plantation can be real evergreen forever.

(12) While I'm writing this article (June, 18, 2019), the average CPO price is about RM2,214.00/tan while sago flour is fetching about RM2,500.00/mt. In 2003, when I was an active player in both industries, the price of CPO then was about RM1,500.00/mt while sago flour was only at about RM600.00/mt. Even at the peak price in 2017 whereby CPO price fetching the level of RM3,500.00/mt; by then sago flour price was just lingering around RM1,500.00-2,000.00/mt. Thus comparatively, sago price had increased by 416 per cents while the CPO just managed to garner 233 per cents (taking the 2017 highest price). In term of price increased, sago flour beat CPO by double fold. Thus if one dare to take the risk over the sago 10-12 years gestation period, indeed the reward ie total revenue generated by a hectare of a sago plantation within the first 25 years life cycle is far beyond the oil palm can achieve ie RM400-500K Vs RM280-315K which is about 50 per cent better.

(12) As for the field development and management cost, I would say it is almost similar except the cashflow spread slightly different. For the first 10 years, infrastructure and machineries investments for sago plantation might be a little bit lower, but much care may be need for the field upkeep especially for the weeding and pruning or desuckering. I believe, for field upkeep, serious consideration must be paid on how to promote fast waste decomposition to sustain the field fertility and wetness. My observation, sago produce more fronds as compare to the oil palm, thus accumulation of debris is much more intensive in sago area as compare to the oil palm. Faster decomposition of these debris would help to fertile the land better. Again, the technicality of the oil palm development could be easy capitalized in developing the sago farm. Allah had blessed us with a very advanced technology in oil palm development, and such to me is His well planned blessing for us to move into the sago industries, if we care to think, work and be passion and patience.

(13) As an overall, what I can say, sago plantation development and industries could only take a trajectory growth IFF the plantation economist and or accountant could look at the comparative cashflow of both sago and oil palm from a very different perspective: real long term sustainable investment rather the present traditional banking accounting or financial analysis. Taib Mahmud was indeed very futuristic as Isao Nagato in his out look of sago. Indeed I understood him as such, but unfortunately, there are administrators, accountants, financial and even scientists people whom can't see things beyond present ROI norms and traditional technicality, so much so, now Taib's and Nagato vision of the sago fate is dying sooner. Nonetheless, their vision is not really that matter, but our State and National opportunity socio-economic lost is a much profound thing that we must be concern.

(14) DOA, SEDC, LCDA, and Sarawak as an overall failure in sago industries development is not really a big issue and shouldn't be seen as a progressing deterring experience, but as I would put it in the sarcastic sense, we indeed had started by groping in the dark, yet when the light is clear ahead, we stopped. DOA started the game. Their game was mere copying the traditional smallholders. DOA had ever since focusing on the upstream production by the small guys. SEDC then in 1980s came in and wanted to champion the industry, by facilitating in the manufacturing aspect only but then they had to withdraw, for they forgotten the upstream aspect of the industry. LCDA then caught the ball, in mid 1980s-1990s, deferring from DOA and SEDC, landed in sago plantation development in peat soil with zero knowledge, thus played badly, then have a relook in 2000s, but then made a turned back to the old game play by 2010s. The existence of CRAUN, a special Sago Research Unit indeed had caused confusion in the sago development on deep peat. Numerous and non-consistent advice given to the plantation which to me are based on micro and short term findings really not helping the plantation sector. All was about, everybody were still in the laboratory stages. Nonetheless, around 2009 we were pretty sure on how to develop sago plantation both on deep peat and alluvial land, but then in 2012, I would say LCDA and the State dare not moving toward the light in a much strategic manner. The "accountants and financial" people keep looking back to the dark tunnel behind rather moving strategically ahead to the open coming light. We took the habit of we saw the light at the end of the tunnel, yet we stop where and when we see the light. I believe, such will also applied to the Pilot Penor Pahang Project.

(15) Indeed I dare to say, Sarawak has the best evolutionary experiences over sago industrial development. We had the experience over the success of the smallholders but badly manipulated by the small scale industrialist cartel. Then we (SEDC) ventured into the manufacturing as public intervention to correct the market, but we failed due to our negligence over raw material supplies improvement as well as other logistic issues. Then we (LCDA) embarked in material supplies development, but we started with the  non-proven hypothesis (not even theories) by forgetting the wisdom of the smallholders that Allah had infused upon them. Probably we are too arrogant to recognize the wisdom of Allah onto the smallholders and we believe the technologies and scientific discoveries can out do Allah wisdom, rather taking the sign given by Allah as guide to our technological and scientific discoveries. I remembered, when I ordered the drainage system in the plantation to be intensified, and clean felling and scraping of the land before planting and or replanting, it was then done with great resistance by the concept of irreversible drying of the peat soil will make it useless, though I argued, the desert had longing being death, yet when rain came, everything will bloom.

SAGO IN FOOD INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION:

I was touched but not surprise by a friend, when I was handed a research finding by a scientist whereby it was found out that for every tonne production of sago flour, a total of equivalent one tonne of dried waste is produced. From this dried waste, a total of 470 liters of ethanol could be produced, seem giving a yield of 47 per cents level. Purposely I posted the graph to the left to indicate the prospect of ethanol as against the gasoline ie diesel. Ethanol currently is mostly produced as part and parcel of the petro-chemical industries.  From this graph, the price for ethanol in the open market is about RM2.00/liter. Today (20 June, 2019) the price of our subsidised diesel is about RM2.18/l. Well let look at how much opportunity lost had we made yearly by thrashing the sago waste into the Rajang, Mukah and Dalat rivers - 50,000 mt of equivalent of dried waste. Based on the research finding, 50,000 tan of dried sago waste could generate 23,500,000 liters of ethanol. By taking the March 2019 price, such should generate about RM27,000,000.00 annually since 1980s. We had rubbished billions Ringgit for being ignorance and greedy short sighted.

(2) What are the major components of sago factory waste. Firstly the bark. Second the fibrous. Third the "sludge". Before I dwell on these wasted resources, let me put it clearly here, that the so called sago wastes are much environment friendly as compared to the oil palm factory wastes. Sago wastes are starch-related as compared to the oil palm which are fatty acid-based. The decomposition of the starch-based wastes are much faster and easier than the fatty accid-based wastes. For such, sago has the environmental waste management advantages over the oil palm. To reflect the broad application of sago starch in the food related industries, let me put here some of my personal encounter over the matter.

(i) I visited one maltodextrin making factory in Klang, Selangor once. This factory is using cassava as its source of starch. From cassava starch, he then produced maltodextrin. From maltodextrin, there came many other sweeteners and food preservative products. He used about 5 tan cassava starch daily. I was informed, the mill preferred sago starch over the cassava.  Meaning, he need at least 1,500 tonnes of starch annually. Based on this observation, I agreed for a private company to revive an SEDC/CRAUN abandoned Sago/Maltodextrin Pilot Plant in Mukah. The plant was able to produced about a tonne maltodextrin a day. Nonetheless, the economic operation is about 5 tonnes daily.  Due to the Company financial issues, I believe nothing much really had gone through. Accordingly, no one had ever came to me to really work out the best maltodextrin plan in Mukah as yet in those day.

(iii) Maltodextrin indeed is the basic ingredient for all sort of food sweeteners. One of it is in the production of caramel which is key ingredient in the production of carbonated drink such as Coca Cola, Pepsi etc. Worldwide there is a great demand for caramel both for drinks and bakeries industries.

(iv) I also did visited an Aji Nomoto ie Sodium Glutamate factory somewhere in Klang as well. This factory was importing the cassava flour as its raw material supplies. I was informed, if they could get the sago flour as their source of starch, they believe they could produced a better Sodium Glutamate quality as compared to the cassava starch.

(v) I did also visited a Kwe Thaw making factory somewhere in Shah Alam, Selangor. Their kwe Thaw distribution covered Klang Valley, Melaka, Ipoh and Penang. They need a mixture of 10-15 per cents sago starch to his kae thaw to make it much soft and elastic. The complain then was, they can't get enough sago flour. They consumed about 1,000 kg daily. That is equivalent to 25 tonnes a month and 300 tonnes a year. Their expansion was limited due to sago starch supply.

(vi) In 1980s, every time I get down to Kuala Trengganu, I will make a time to enjoy the Keropok Fish Cracker Losong. In those days, I can still remember the taste was superb. The cracker was much crunchy but soft and tasty. Today, I don't really enjoy the Losong Keropok anymore for, again they are complaining that they can't get sago flour as the complementary ingredient. Even if they can get from Thailande, the quality was very much inferior to the Sarawak produced. They need a mixed of 15-20 per cents sago flour to make their cracker softher and tastier. Nowaday, they are substituting the sago starch with cassava or poor quality of sago starch imported from Thailand.

(vii) Even in Indonesia, the street fried banana or banana tempura taste varied considerably. The one that is using sago flour as part of the ingredient definitely will give a better taste of fried banana.  I had tasted the same in part of Chambodia and Vietnam. Sago seem to give a special delicacy taste and texture to the flour-based dishes.

(viii) By trailing the Japanese in the production of the facial mask one entrepreneur through the assistance of MOSTI had came out with the invention of sago-based facial mask. A sum of money was required to enable for the products be put on clinical trial. LCDA was invited to participate, but due the unclear business model proposed, I decided not to take up on the venture. Indeed I had personal communique with the Medical person whom had been using such product for post chemo-treatment of her clients instead of using those being certified in the market, she was indeed very happy with the product. She just need 1-2 years clinical trial to enable her to put her testimonial confrirmation over the product.

(3) Those are among the limited application of sago flour in the food industries that I had known. The Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines had a wider applications of sago starch in their food industries. The Thailand, due to their aggressive food industries, they really capitalised sago starch especially in the food preservative sector. Indonesian bakso will not taste good if without the sago flour. Similarly lots of the Thailand and the Philippines light dishes would not taste good if without the sago pearl. In Sarawak, we had not get out of tebaloi and tumpik in our sago flour usage. Why? I would believe, the basic reason is the scarce supplies of raw materials. Scarcity sometimes limiting our creativity.

PROSPECT OF THE SAGO BYPRODUCTS:

The Chart to the left is the basic flow of a sago processing factory. Sarawak sago manufacturing had been very secretive on the sago processing technologies due to business reason. Indeed the technologies is nothing so complicated if one understand the mechanical engineering of starch production in cassava, potatoes, and even maize. Combination of these technologies with the timber milling technologies would enable the milling process be fined tune over time. The basic principal process in sago flour production would involve the crushing of sago pith into loose fibrous matter to facilitate the flour granule release which is currently done through some sort of water jet pressure and hydrolysis and thus sieving before going for drying.   Indeed, the growth of sago manufacturing in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea is deterred for their lack of interest to invent their own milling technologies. The Foo Chow of Sibu Sarawak for they had been longing in the mechanical and timber industries, they had perfected their system through trial and errors.

(2) It is clearly shown that, while the main product is sago flour, the factory byproducts or wastes are in the form of bark (outer skin layer), hampas which is basically the fibrous component with residual starch, and sludge which also content some residual or finer starch granule. The leftover sago bark, definitely could be turned into fiberboard production or even be crushed to produce fuel pellet. Sago bark is about 10-15 per cents of the sago trunk biomass. Indeed in a much modernized sago factory, the bark is no more the form of waste. The timber milling technology had been adopted in such, the bark is now being scraped into fibrous product and dried as source of heating materials. I would believe, these scraped bark fiber could be turned into fuel pellet. Thus, the bark is slowly being turned into source of industrial fuel for the boiler or dryer.

(3) As earlier indicated, studies had been done and indicating that the production of one tonne sago starch will produce one tonne equivalent of hampas. The hampas is basically coarse fibers which trapped or withhold about 20 per cents of the sago starch. The hampas indeed then is made of about 20 per cents trapped starch granules and 80 per cents fiber which indeed is a cellulose or higher degree of polysaccaride structure. This 20 per cents starch could be extracted through hydrolysis process to produce sugar ie fructose or glucose which then can easily dissolve in the water and thus could be extracted out from the coarse fiber. This dissolved fructose or glucose then could either be distill and condense to be turned into sugar or alike products, or even be converted for the synthesis of ethanol and methanol.

(4) The balance coarse fiber which is a mixture of different level of celluloid or higher degree polysaccaride chains could then be passed through a much rigorous hydrolysis  process. The product for such process is again either fructose or glucose. Many other byproducts could then be generated: ethnol, methanol, maltodextrine, and so forth.

(5) Even this cellulose could be turned into organic glues for various industrial application especially where health is concern. In the West and Japan where their concern over hygiene matters is so high, glue produce from sago starch and or fibers could be a better alternative to the petro-chemical-based glue.

(6) Accordingly, since the coarse fiber is about 0.50-2.00 cm in length, and indeed is mostly soft cellulose just like those of the alfafa grass, then if properly blended with all the correct ingredients, all these left over coarse fiber or the hampas as a whole could be a very good source for the production of livestock and fish feeds. Malaysia and Sarawak in particular is in real shortage of feeds supplies to boast their livestock industries. Again, as Allah wished it, the Nation is blessed with the CPO cake, and yet we can't really see why sago and oil palm co-exist in this part of the world. Sago fiber and oil palm cake I would believe could help the Nation in fulfilling her protein demand.

(7) I'm studying the various method of mushroom culturing medium.  This saprophyte thrive well in the forest floor and or dead wood. I figured out, musroom must be preying onto the cellulose of plant waste. Even on animal (inclusive of human being), mushroom also strive on the cuticle part of the skin. In Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, wood dust, paddy husk, stray, and even EFB are widely used as mushroom culture media. Mushroom culture indeed is nothing that complicated or expensive. Thus I'm having a hypothesis, a good blend of sago coarse waste - residual starch with all the other conventional media may be could prolong the growth cycle period of the mushroom. In Shaa Allah I'll experiment on this soon. Mushroom had been proven to have numerous nutritional and pharmaceutical values. Thus, I would believe, cheap production of mushroom would be a best alternative to supplement or even lessen our Ummah dependent over animal meat as their source of protein. I can see, and In Shaa Allah, the presence of hundred of food suitable species of mushroom in our forest plus the abundance of EFB, paddy stray, and sago hampas could capitalise to the best blessing of Allah to the ummah.

(8) The coconut fiber is now very popular for the production of coco-peat for all sort of agriculture and ornamental plants nursing and production. Again, coconut fiber is nothing much different than the sago hampas except the later content too much water. There is a shortage of coconut in the Country, thus affecting the production of coco-peat drastically, and thereon spin over for its broad limited application in the agro-industries. Again, despite such shortage, and if one really serious about sago, one will discover, the best coconut growing area (except on sandy land) is also the best sago growing area. Here again as Allah had said, He made things in couple. Indeed sago can be the coupling and or complementing to so many other agriculture commodities. Compost I would believe is one of it. Good blend of coconut fiber, EPF and sago hampas would be giving a much better organic planting media for our plants.

KEY ISSUES IN SAGO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT:

Indeed sago is just a source of starch just as the wheat, rice, maize, potatoes, cassava etc. All over the world, the industrial advancement in the starch industries could easily be emulated in the sago starch industrial application. Nonetheless, the basic challenge in developing the sago starch lies in the fact that sago is much bulky to handle as compare to all the others which are either tubers or grain. Sago handling especially within the present Sarawak sago development setting; with so much lacking in infrastructural and mechanization supports, made the harvesting and post harvest handling of sago logs as key deterrence for the very active participation either by the smallholders and private sector in the production of sago material.  Sago is a tree. Others are either annual shrubs or weedlike. Definitely, it is now much easier to handle the oil palm fruits FFB as compare to the sago logs. It is very much tougher to organize the post harvest management of sago trunks (logs)  as compare to tubers or grains and oil palm FFB. 

(2) Thus the profounding issue with regard to the limiting trajectory growth of the sago industries lies in the shortage supplies of the raw material which bound onto the lacking in infrastructural and mechanization support. In Sarawak, sago logs transportation is still by way of water transport which is very inefficient and inconvenient. Such mode of transportation had deterred the deep interest of the

local to venture in developing sago farm and as well as into the harvesting of sago logs. Indeed such had attributed to the diminishing of sago farms and sago farmers, which then limiting the production of sago raw materials. Limited raw material supplies had limited the industrial innovation of sago. The key to material supply now boil down to the fact, we failed to developed sago as our next golden commodity. This failure indeed was contributed to the fact we failed to understand the real sago agronomy and how best sago plantation should be developed. Sarawak was suppose to lead the way, through the LCDA 20,000 (?) hectares of intended Sago Plantation in Mukah and Dalat, nonetheless, I dare to say not even 3,000 hectares is now being properly developed into a real good sago plantation. In the short sighted over quick returned, I was sadden to know, most of the intended plantation areas had been converted into oil palm. The total investment to get this plantations development since 1986 (?) had cost the State in close to hundred and fifty million Ringgit (?), but the result is really very sad. Even CRAUN which was originally established to spearhead onto sago research, I would believe had diverted their focus more to non-sago related activities.

(3) Despite the initial losing of monetary and time, indeed Sarawak had gain the best lesson on how sago plantation could be properly developed. Just as I had said earlier, we saw the light at the end of the tunnel, instead of moving forward better, we chosen to withdrew back into the darkening beginning.

(4) Why despite we had started since 1986, to this day we failed to showcase a success story? Indeed the missing of this success story that had made sago as a no go crop. We, for so long had showcase a failure not a success that made the interest over sago to diminished greatly. Even the so called successful Penor Pilot Sago Min-Estate, I dare to say of no one knew about it. I dare to say, the Nation is being blacken over the success of the Penor Sago Mini-Estate. Within Sarawak, sago now seem to be a taboo, a crop to be forgotten. How bad to see people seriously ignoring Allah saying: "There is nothing not useful among My creations". Sago was created by Allah, and He never made any of His creation as useless. The "present uselessness" of sago is nothing more than human ignorance. The biggest failure in Sarawak sago industrial development if due to people cowardice to admit their failure, to really understand their failure and thereon to look for all means of possible success. Basically, Malaysian dare not to fail to succeed. Our culture of which can't accepting failure to succeed indeed pulls us back to progress in so many things.

FALLACIES THAT SHOULD BE ADMITTED: (  to be developed In Shaa Allah)

Looking back to my nine years experiences and knowledge in the sago and oil palm industries, I could see, that we had made numerous mistakes in how we had embarked on sago plantation development. Inter alia, among them are the following fallacies:

(i) In general, people are having the opinion sago strive well in peatland. So much so, people were also believing that sago strive well in deep peat area. Deep peat means area with the peat dept of more than one meters. The fundamental of this fallacies, for they observed sago seem to strive well in soggy land. Sago has been associated growing better in wet land. Sarawak peat is soggy, thus it was then been assumed wet-peat land must be the best ecology for sago.  But when I traveled all through Malaya, Southern Thailand, Sumatera, Java, then to those sago island in eastern Indonesia, I hardly saw sago on peat. Sago is always associated with paddy fields. Even observing closely those sago area in Sarawak especially in Mukah, Balingian, Pusa and sporadically those sago areas among the Iban farmers, confirmed my observation that sago is always related to paddy fields. I also visited the 'crazy' Harris Salleh farm in Beaufort, Sabah, my observation was just the same. Yes sago love water, but sago also need much solid ground to grow. Paddy field is always associated with alluvial soil with good drainage. People had missed such facts.

(ii) People also having the view that sago strive well in canopy. The main reason why they came to such conclusion was by observing such was the practiced of the smallholders' farms. Well which smallholder really care to tender their farm to the best practices? Smallholders are very pragmatic people. They knew sago is hardy crop with long gestation period, so much so, they leave sago to the nature, except they knew from experiences, sago do well on good drained alluvial soil. Based on this fallacy and the above (i), LCDA initial sago plantation development was made on deep peat areas with very minimal drainage and semi-felled forest. When I first visited the 'plantations' in 2002, I hardly could go beyond 50 meters deeper into the 'plantation', for they were still forest. I hardly can see any sago growing. There were some modified fields experiments done, whereby the lands were totally cleared, and the surface shrubs were well scraped, but again, the water table was kept high, I observed the sago growth were stunted, or failed to grow.  Again, the missing parameters here was good drainage and soil bearing capacity.

(iii) There was this theory or rather a hypothesis indeed, that good drainage is important for the sago growth, as drainage will facilitate good water flow. There were then few plots were established with good drainage except the plots were not really linked to good outlets. Basically, the plots were established in the middle of nowhere for the water to flow better. The intention of putting up good drainage were then merely to discharge excessive surface water. Ground water table was kept high. Good water flow means, good oxygen supplies to the sago roots. Such hypothesis was argued along the line that in soggy land, sago will produce lots of areal roots. These areal roots take the function to source for oxygen. I took such as logical then and to this day. My personal research on orchids of Batu Cave and Templer Park, Selangor in 1983-84 brought me to similar conclusion with regard to the orchid areal roots, to source for water and oxygen. But, to my second thought then, the drainage is more to facilitate for the faster decomposition of the peat subtracts and thus greatly improve the soil fertility and bearing capacity. Good drainage then was not only to facilitate for good dissolve oxygen supply to the plant but also for all those decomposing creatures.  Drainage then is having multi-purposes. Thus, I believe, the purpose of drainage in sago plantation development had not taking into account the mutual benefits of the drain to sago and its overall good growth ecology. People were too focused to sago, and had forgotten the overall symbiosis of the crop with the overall growth ecosystem.

(iv) Everywhere around the globe, we could see sago is closely associated with wetland. In Papua New Guinea and Papua, wild sago is mostly found in the marshland. This marshland indeed seem to be always inundated. Thus, based on all these sago ecological settings people believe sago loves water. In Sarawak in particular, the wetland apart from the mangrove, the abundant peat area is our natural water catchment area, always wet. For this reason, I would believe, what had made LCDA to embark on sago development in peat area. Indeed the 20,000 ha area for LCDA sago plantation development area, I can say 80-85 per cents of it is deep peat area. Definitely sago loves water, but sago don't strive well in inundated land. As for the marshland in Papua and Papua New Guinea, the land is inundated due to the swelling of the river basin during the rainy season which may last for 4-6 months. Thereafter, the marshland would be sufficiently dried. The marshland indeed is made of alluvial river basin. Indeed, sago can sustain a reasonably long flooding period of 4-6 months. Sago is best for alluvial or mineral soil with good water supply.

(v) People were also having great puzzle on the manuring of sago palm. I had written much earlier, the principle notion of sago manure should not be too far from all the other crops. Probably, as in cassava and paddy, the main product of sago is starch, therefore, the life cycle fertilizing requirement  of sago should bear more focus toward to facilitate the synthesis of the starch. The idea that sago need less fertilizer, I would believe is of the smallholders orthodox views. From the commercial stand point, sufficent amount of fertilizer is needed in the sago palm development just as in any other crops.

(2) Based on the LCDA long mistaking experiences, Sarawak should now be able to moveon better in sago plantation development. Good drain, field preparation and upkeep, and ....
Sago need less fertilizer and maintenance

SAGO AGRONOMIC Vs the OIL PALM:

As I had said, in term of field development and management of a sago plantation, it would not be much different from the oil palm. The key would be good soil bearing capacity and water management regime. In term of field development cost, for 1-3 meter depth peat and alluvial areas, I would say the cost will be just equivalent to the oil palm except due to longer gestation period, the overall infrastructure and machineries investment would be initially 30-40 per cents lower and need not be upfront. I strongly discourage and indeed a total fallacy to a suggestion for sago development in deep peat area ( more than 3 meters depth), unless heavy investment for serious soil compaction and drainage development investment is made available. Soil bearing capacity is the key technical consideration that one must seriously be concern over peatland development. Indeed I tried this for Sebakong Estate, and good growth result was coming nicely and thus pushing for similar approach for the Mukah and Dalat plantations. Indeed in developing the smallholders satellite estates, I made such approach as compulsory, so much so their performance was much better then the LCDA plantation proper. Similarly, I dare to say it is a serious fallacy to suggest sago could be developed under permanent wetland ecology. I agree, wetness is needed in the sago plantation development, but even in the natural ecology of the Papua and Papua New Guinea, the sago marshlands are not inundated all year through. Allah inundated their sago land for only certain period of the years for reason I would believe to facilitate natural fertilizing, weeding and definitely harvesting.

(12) My observation, sago that grown in permanent wet ecology will slow or never trunking; most would be stunted. Rather than trunking the palms gone for primary growth ie keep producing babies, suckers so much so, the cluster getting wide bushy spread over time.

(12) Sago area need good water management regime is nothing too hard to be understood. Sago is about producing starch. The basic formula for starch is CHO. Both the HO components came from H^2O of the water molecule. Thus, water supply must be within the easy reach of the crop. But again, making water access doesn't mean the crop need to be inundated. To me, sago is a biennial perennial crop, thus though it need water but the water supply must be in a proper drainage system. In my simple sarcastic term sago is a crop, not a fish.

.. to be continued In Shaa Allah

2/1/19 TERNAK GURAMI ......

Asal muasalnya, ada sebuah restoran di Jalan Simpang Tiga Kuching, bersetentangan dengan the Spring Mall yang wujud sejak 1980an bermana Gamelan. Mula-mula saya makan di situ sekitar 1986 bila saya mengikuti Kursus Induksi SAO (PTN) di Pusat Latihan Kerajaan Sarawak yang kini sudah dibangun menjadi Swineburne Universiti. Ianya di usahakan oleh Ibu Silvia seorang warga Indonesia dari Menado Sulawesi yang mana anaknya menikah dengan penduduk tempatan. Saya sering ke Restoran tersebut pada 2000an. Makanan kegemaran saya adalah Ikan Asin Presto, Gurami Flying Fish dan Tahu Telur. Pada masa itu, segala macam Penyet belum wujud. Di Gamelan, kalau masakan ayam, paling saya gemari adalah Ayam Kampung Kalasan dan Pop. Saya sering tertanya-tanya, apa itu ikan gurami dan presto, khasnya ikan presto. Saya dikhabarkan bahawa ikan persto itu istimewa penghasilan Surabaya. Hanya pada 2018, baru saya tahu presto itu adalah istilah Indonesia untuk pressurize cooker. Ikan dipressurize agar tulang-tulangnya menjadi lembut bila digoreng deep fry akan menjadi ranggup dan boleh dikunyah dengan mudah. Mungkin pada 2019 ini saya akan mencoba untuk membuat Terubuk Presto biar setanding dengan Ikan Presto Surabaya.

(2) I love local dishes. Ke mana saja saya pergi, saya pasti mencari special authentic local dishes. Makan adalah kegemaran nombor wahid saya. Kemudian sight seeing, membaca, fotografi dan menulis. Saya paling mudah getting annoyed bila saya tidak mendapat apa yang hendak saya makan. Mungkin pengaruh silam ibu dan dua nenek saya yang suka masak dan mereka sering memasak masakan kegemaran saya, telah mempengaruhi my eating taste secara azali.

(3) Gamelan saya ambilalih pada 2012. Saya belanjakan hampir separuh dari Bayaran Graduiti dan Simpanan KWSP saya untuk membina semula Restoran tersebut. Bila siap, saya serahkan kepada beberapa orang kawan untuk mengurusnya dengan baik. Namun, rezeki belum bersama saya, setelah sekitar 18 bulan beroperasi, saya terpaksa serahkan Restoran tersebut kepada seorang teman lain dalam keadaan 80 peratus perfect condition secara percuma. Namun enam bulan kemudian, teman ini juga tidak dapat mengurusnya, maka saya kembalikan well renovated premise tersebut kepada tuan punyanya. Kini, dalam keadaan ianya seperti pemulihan yang saya buat, seorang pengusaha lain kelihatan cukup berjaya mengurusnya. Sesungguhnya lokasi serta menu asal Gamelan sudah cukup terkenal dan ianya dan mempunyai loyal cumtomers tersendiri. Restoran itu saya ubah namanya dari Gamelan ke Nusantara. Cita-cita mulanya, saya ingin membina suatu signage Nusantara sebagai pengabadian saya kepada rantau Melayu ini.

(4) Flying Fish Gurami, Osphronemus spp yang saya sering makan juga sedikit menimbulkan banyak tanda tanya. Bila ditanya, dari mana Ibu Silvia mendapat sumber ikan ini, beliau sering menyatakan bekalannya dari Indonesia. Lantaran sudah digoreng garing, sukar untuk saya mengenali ikan tersebut. Saya jarang tahu nama ikan.  Saya bukanlah anak nelayan dan perbuatan yang paling saya tidak suka adalah memancing. Saya tidak punya kesabaran untuk menanti ikan meregut kail. Sebetulnya, tabiat terburuk saya adalah tidak suka menanti dan dinanti. Saya paling benci jika perlu menunggu atau ditunggu. Paling di masa anak-anak saya hanya suka menjaul, menaut, membubu, dan memasang pukat di muara-muara anak sungai kecil-kecil. Semua kerja menangkap ikan sebegini tidak memerlukan saya menunggu sehingga ikan makan kail. Biasanya, semua ini saya tegar (pasang) bila air mula pasang, dan saya akan kembali menjengah (mengangkat) mengutip bila air sudah separuh dan atau surut penuh.

(5) Saya tidak makan ikan peliharaan dalam kolam. Namun cara Ibu Silvia membuat masakan gurami, cukup nyaman. Tidak terasa hanyirnya. Apa lagi bila dicicah dengan sambal khas cara Menado atau Jawa. Sambal cili api cara Siam juga saya kira sangat cocok dengan deep fry gurami. Satu hidangan Gurami Flying Fish boleh mencecah RM50.00-80.00/ekor. Kebetulan, saya melawat Jogjakarta pada 2009. Setelah melawat pelbagai projek di sana, saya berhenti makan di sebuah Restoran Asli Jawa. Restorannya terbina di atas kolam ikan yang luas. Konsep restoran sebegini di Indonesia disebut sebagai Lesehan atau Gazebo. Saya seperti biasa inginkan gurami tetapi sekali ini saya kepingin 100 peratus asli Jawa. Pelayan Lesehan agak binggung, bagaimana rupanya gurami asli Jawa. Saya nyatakan, ikan gurami mesti peliharaan dan dijaga oleh orang Jawa. Yang memasaknya juga mesti Jawa. Yang menghidang meladeni juga mesti Jawa. Bayarannya, juga saya akan mengunakan wang Jawa. Sambil berlalu pergi untuk menyampaikan pesanan ke dapur, pelayan sempat bergurau bercanda, "Yang makannya juga harus Jawa Pak". Jawab saya mudah "Loh kue kok keakehan ngomong, ayuh cepet bawa guraminya ke sini". Dengan itu, dia berlalu sambil membalas "Wah sampean Bapak yo Tiang Jawi Malaysia". Bila dia kembali dengan hidangan gurami, saya bertanya, apa saya boleh melihat gurami yang masih hidup. Dia lantas mengambil sedikit nasi dan menghamburnya ke kolam di bawah Lesehan. Maka berkeruyuk berkumpulan ikan gurami timbul menyambar taburan nasi tersebut. Saya agak terkeju. "Loh apa itu gurami?". Itu di Malaysia namanya Kaloi. Ikan hiasan. "Tidak pernah saya makan ikan itu di Malaysia". Tetapi di Restoran Gamelan, Kuching, entah sudah berapa puloh ekor saya makan tanpa sedar itulah gurami sang kaloi.

(6) Kebetulan pada 2009, saya membina sebuah Kedai Kampung untuk diuruskan oleh keluarga saya. Di pinggir kedai, saya bina sebuah kolam. Permulaannya saya hanya membela Tilapia. Namun lama kelamaan saya bunuh semua Tilapia tersebut dan membina semula kolam itu dengan simen. Tabii tilapia, bila hendak bertelur, mereka suka mengali tebing kolam untuk membuat sarang sehingga lama-kelamaan tebing kolam boleh runtuh.  Kemudian, dengan dorongan ilham tanpa sedar dari Allah saya membeli beberapa ekor kaloi @ gurami dan meletakkannya di kolam tersebut. Ikan-ikan kaloi ini menjadi daya tarikan pelangan untuk melangan di kedai saya. Anak-anak cukup riuh rendah saat mereka melihat kalui-kalui ini. Saya kemudian tambahkan sehingga 20-30 ekor kalui dari pelbagai spesis termasuk asli Sarawak, Sabah dan Siam. Malangnya sejak 2009 sehingga 2011, saya dapati kalui saya tidak pernah membiak. Harga bibit kalui cukup mahal. Bagi yang sebesar dua jari, harganya RM10-15 setiap satu. Jika sudah sebesar 4-5 jari, boleh mencecah RM100-150 seekor. Bagi memastikan semua hidup baik, saya biasa membeli yang ukuran 4-5 jari.

(7) Gurami adalah nama generik bagi kaloi dan sepat. Saiznya boleh mencecah sehingga ke 5-7 kilo seekor dan ada juga yang kecil-kecil sebagai ikan hiasan semata-mata. Ikan ini tersebar di seluruh kawasan tropika dunia, dari Mekong terus ke Amazon, Nigeria-Madagascar sehinggalah ke seluruh Nusantara. Saya kira, niat asal saya untuk membina signage Nusantara kini Allah sedang dorong kepada mempelopori pengusahaan gurami di Malaysia dan khasnya di Sarawak. Di rantau Borneo, dikatakan mempunyai kepelbagaian spesis gurami yang besar.

(8) Pada 2012, bila saya bersara awal dari berkhidmat di dalam Kerajaan, sayapun memasang angan-angan untuk menjadi penternak gurami yang berjaya. Pada 2012 juga saya membina Restoran di sebelah Kedai Kampung saya. Sekali lagi, usaha ini adalah aruhan ilham tanpa sedar dari Allah swt. Saya kemudian memasang angan-angan bahawa Restoran saya akan terkenal kerana gurami. Maka bermula 2012, saya mengembangkan pelbagai usaha saya di Kampung. Saya bina rumah burung walit, reban puyuh, reban ayam serta rumah Kampung saya. Semua binaan ini dikelilingi kolam-kolam simen. Tahun-tahun 2012-2015 adalah tahun-tahun experimental saya. Saya cuba mencari jalan untuk membiakan gurami secara alami. Saya bertanya semua pembekal bibit gurami di Kuching, mereka cukup kedekut untuk berkongsi ilmu. Dalam saya dihadapi resah tercari-cari jalan untuk membiak gurami, sekali lagi Allah mendatangkan ilham tanpa sedar kepada saya. Suatu hari bila saya memberikan makanan di kolam tanah terbuka, saya dapati banyak anak-anak ikan di pinggir kolam berebut makanan pallet. Saya amat-amati betul-betul, dan alangkah seronoknya untuk melihat bahawa ikan gurami saya di kolam tanah terbuka sudah membiak secara alami. Dari situ, saya mulai meneliti keadaan ekologi kolam yang boleh meransang pembiakan secara alami gurami. Alhamdullillah saya temukan jalannya. Seperti burung, gurami perlu membina sarang untuk bertelur dan menetas. Maka ianya perlukan sampah-sampah gentian untuk tujuan itu. Dari situ, sekali lagi saya mengubah suai kolam-kolam simen saya untuk menjadi asli alami. Alhamdullillah, sejak 2015, semua kolam saya menjadi kolam pembiakan gurami. Saya mengira kini, saya mempunyai tidak kurang dari 600-700 ekor gurami dewasa di kolam-kolam saya yang ada. Kini terdapat 8 buah kolam semuanya. Empat darinya adalah kolam simen terbuka concrete pond. Satu kolam tanah terbuka earth pond. Dua kolam simen di atas tanah raised concrete pond. Serta sebuah kolam simen di bawah bangunan covered concrete pond iaitu reban ayam. Setiap kolam saya isikan asalnya dengan 20-30 gurami.

(9) Secara keseluruhan apa yang sedang saya bina di Kampung, saya namakan sebagai MyStore Enterprise. Kenapa MyStore dan bukan nama lain. Sekitar 2009, saya telah ke Carlifornia Amerika. Saya telah dibawa ke sebuah Farm di gurun Carlifornia. Pengusaha Farm ini cukup berdayacipta. Dari segala lori, bas, kereta, motosikal, perabut bahkan peti-peti talipon terbuang semuanya beliau bina menjadi bahan tarikan Farm beliau. Seni taman malah haiwan-haiwan peliharaan beliau juga turut anih-anih dan cukup menarik. Dari sejak itu, saya membina mimpi untuk menjadikan Kampung atau sekuarang-kurang kejiranan saya sebuah Tourism Farm Village. Nama MyStore saya pilih lantaran ianya unique serta mudah diingat. Konsep My menjadikan ianya milik semua. Saya ingin menghadiahkan ilham Membina Kampung Wisata Melayu penuh keceriaan dengan senitaman agro untuk kebaikan semua. Bermula 2019, In Shaa Allah ilham ini akan saya kembangkan secara meluas dan mudah-mudahan ianya akan menjadi aspirasi Melayu-Melayu berjaya untuk jangan jijik Kampung. Semoga dengan ini, menjadikan Melayu-Melayu berjaya untuk berpegang kepada konsep biar sirih pulang ke tampuk, pinang pulang ke gagang dan ikan pulang ke lubuk. Melayu harus membina Kampung menjadi Agro-Park Villa sebagai jalan agar kampung tidak tergadai, Melayu berdaganag bertempat.

(10) Alhamdullilah, saya kini telah dapat memecahkan masalah pembiakan gurami. Namun bila ikan sudah banyak, saya sedikit binggung soal makanan mereka pula. Dari 2012-2016, saya bergantung dengan pallet. Harga baja pallet kian meningkat saban tahun. Suatu pilihan lain harus saya usahakan. Sekali lagi, ilham Allah datangkan kepada saya tanpa saya sedar. Rupa-rupanya sebahagaian dari segala jenis rumpai yang saya tanam sebagai asalnya hanya hiasan di kolam-kolam, saya dapati menjadi makanan kegemaran gurami. Maka dengan itu, selain kangkong dan ubi kayu, kolam saya sedang dipenuhi dengan rumpair Echinodorous palefolius atau nama lainnya Mexican Sword Plant. Selain daun mudanya menjadi makanan kalui, bunganya yang putih bersih menjadi hidangan baik lebah kelulut. Kebetulan sepupu saya di tanah sebelah mempunyai kecenderungan untuk membela kelulut. Beliau mendapat rahmat dari minat saya terhadap kalui. Tanaman ini dikatakan boleh meningkatkan kandungan oksijen air. Di samping itu, akarnya yang berserabut boleh memerangkap habuk dan kelodak kolam. Maka, kolam yang dibatasi rumpair ini sangat jernih airnya. Saya dapati kalui juga dapat membina sarang pembiakan mereka dari serat-serat tangkai rumpair ini yang mereput.

(11) Namun Mexican Sword Plant ini tidaklah produktif. Masa yang agak panjang diperlukan untuk ianya mengeluarkan daun-daun muda. Tanaman kangkong pula perlukan penjagaan sedikit rapi. Dan lagi kangkong tidak dapat dibiak di kolam penuh kaloi. Tidak sempat berputik, semua kalui sapu. Kalui adalah herbivora, iaitu ianya seperti manusia perlukan protein dan kabohiderat sama. Daun kangkong, ubi serta rumpai punya kandungan protein rendah. Seperti iakan lain kalui perlukan kandungan protein antara 17-25 peratus. Lantaran itu, kebergantungan kepada baja pallet tidak dapat dihentikan. Sebegitulah cara Allah, agar kita terus menghargai, mensyukuri nikmatNya. Dia memberikan kita otak, kita harus terus mencari akal untuk menyelesaikan apa juga galang hidup kita. Saya terus berfikir dan tercari-cari. Pastinya di lama maya ini, ada tumbuhan yang punya high protein content. Konsep high protein content plants tiba-tiba muncul di benak saya, maka dari situ titik mula seraching saya seterusnya. Syukur alhamdullilah, Allah berpesan, tiada apa yang Dia cipta tiada faedahnya. Saya memerhati di dalam parit dan longkang. Banyak hidupan air simple cell yang pasti mempunyai high protein content. Di antaranya duck weed, namun ianya sukar membiak. Akhirnya, saya dapati petani di Bangladesh menternak water fern selepas panenan lalu kemudian memberikan ayam-itik malah ruminent lain makan water fern tersebut. Saya juga dapati, ianya juga sedang dikembang biak di Indonesia.

(12) Akhirnya, saya mendapat satu academic search message alert tentang Chemical and Protein Analysis of the aquatic fern, Azolla. Sesungguhnya Allah mahabesar, lewat pengelihatan dan pemikiran tajam Steve Job, saya kini dapat mencapai banyak ilmu secara smart phone. Kemudiannya saya terus menyelidik bagaimana ekologi pembiakan Azola. ... bersambung In Shaa Allah