I criticize Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin for being “arrogant” and “ignorant” in handling of “live seafood export ban” issue. I urge Yahya to step down from his portfolio as he fails to develop the seafood industry. Instead, I put the blame on Yahya as his drastic decision to ban the live seafood from export has disturbed the market confidence.
The statement by Yahya that no need to consult everyone before implementing any policy as he is the minister in charge, has demonstrated his poor leadership quality. It is arrogance of power. Does he realize that he needs to get the people mandate to continue to stay in power? Even Deputy Prime Minister have to defer the foreign workers levy after the decision has invited high decibel of opposing from various industries. He realizes that government need to have consultations with all kind of stakeholders. How can Yahya forget his duty to develop the food industry but just simply showing his arrogance?
Furthermore, I question that why should Yahya refer the live seafood ban issue to state cabinet if he has done so before he made the announcement? It means the decision to ban live seafood export is made unilaterally by him alone, not even known by his colleagues in state cabinet.
Can our Sabah state cabinet tolerate with this kind of Lone Ranger attitude demonstrated by a non team player? Is bureaucrat like LKIM (Fisheries Development Authority for Malaysia) supporting his proposal to ban live seafood? We never heard any comment from them! Therefore, I urge Yahya to step down from his portfolio or else Chief Minister should sack him!
The seafood export industry is an important industry for Sabah. Every year about 130,000 metric tones of seafood worth RM800 million is exported from the state.
Any policy drawn should be studied in details before implementing it. Drastic decision to ban the live seafood export would only hurt the state economies and disturb the market confidence. Yahya is totally ignorant in this perspective.
Towards the end, I urge all the stakeholders involved in this issue, particularly the seafood exporter, restaurant owners, fishermen, government bodies to conduct a round table discussion to achieve consensus in how to balance the dilemma between the domestic demand for good quality seafood and higher economic value for seafood export.