Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir said the federal government has approved RM350 million for the project of which RM100 million is for land acquisition.
“Since it is a big project, we have placed it under the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP).
The project will be finalised by Demember,” he said after opening the Kedah Farmers Organisation (PPNK) annual general meeting here, today.
The river highway project has long been proposed by the PPNK to prevent the river water from flooding and damaging the padi.
Mukhriz said some 11,000 hectares land categorised as problematic due to sinkholes would benefit from the the river highway project.
“Sinkholes alone cover some 8,000 hectares. The 11,000 hectares can be used for agriculture especially for the cultivation of rice.”
He said although the focus was on high-tech development, the Kedah government did not abandon agriculture as it was the state’s major strength.
“Japan and South Korea focus on increasing the crop yields by tapping into technologies,” he added.
— BERNAMA
