KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — Public health begins with safe, sustainable, and nutritious food, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said.
Dzulkefly said local agricultural production was the “first line of defence” in preventing disease, linking food security closely to public health.
“Food security has always been closely linked to public health security. Sustainable, safe, and nutritious local agricultural production is the first line of defence in disease prevention,” Dzulkefly said in a Facebook post yesterday.
“No matter how far we explore advances in medical technology, the foundation of building a healthy society always begins with the quality of nutrition on the people’s plates.”
Dzulkefly made the remarks after attending the closing ceremony of the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture, and Agrotourism Exhibition (MAHA) 2026 at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM).
He said the strong response to this year’s MAHA showed that agriculture remained a pillar of the country’s strategic sustainability.
Dzulkefly also backed Anwar’s call for strict financial governance to safeguard the farming community.
“I fully support the Prime Minister’s firmness in demanding strict financial governance in order to safeguard the farming community,” he said.“I fully support the Prime Minister’s firmness in demanding strict financial governance in order to safeguard the farming community,” he said.
Dzulkefly said leakages and abuse in the agricultural sector could cripple the food supply chain and affect the socioeconomic well-being and health of paddy farmers, farmers, and fishermen.
“Any leakage and abuse in this sector not only cripples the food supply chain, but also directly affects the socioeconomic well-being and health of paddy farmers, farmers, as well as fishermen at the grassroots who work tirelessly,” Dzulkefly said.
