Defence Ministry to use idle military land for food security, veteran welfare, says Khaled Nordin

Kota Tinggi, Oct 11 — The Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, announced plans to utilize idle military land in Malaysia to bolster national food security and improve the socioeconomic conditions of veterans. The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) is collaborating with Boustead Plantations (BPlant) on the JanaVeteran Programme.

Nordin emphasized that unused military land should not remain idle, as some plots have been inactive for a decade or more due to the lack of development plans. This initiative aims to create employment opportunities and income for military veterans while keeping them engaged in productive activities. Every year, 5,000 military personnel retire, making the introduction of veterans to the programme a viable option.

Nordin highlighted the importance of addressing food security concerns due to potential supply shortages or escalating food costs, which could turn into a national security threat. The pilot project started with the cultivation of KayTi ginger at Ladang Telok Sengat, with BPlant ensuring a market for the produce. Nordin, who is also the Kota Tinggi MP, aims to make the district the primary producer of KayTi ginger, emphasizing that Kota Tinggi could become the nation's food valley through the cultivation of this ginger.

The JanaKomuniti Programme is a corporate social responsibility initiative of BPlant, backed by the Kota Tinggi Parliamentary Office, through a clustered fertigation ginger farming project.