Kota Kinabalu: Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar has called on staff of the Sabah Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) to sustain their momentum in delivering quality public services.
“Dedication and teamwork are the foundations of effective governance,” he said when officiating at the DID Sabah Excellence Service Award 2025 and Sanjungan Budi 2025/2026 ceremony, here, recently.
A total of 34 recipients received the Excellence Service Award and 25 retirees covering the period of July 2025 to July 2026 were honoured under the Sanjungan Budi appreciation programme.
Citing recent site visits to paddy areas in Trusan Sapi, Telupid and Kota Belud, Jamawi expressed his expectations for field engagement from technical officers.
“On Feb 9, I had to issue reprimands and work directives to contractors and officers under the Ministry,” he said, while also acknowledging the DID for subsequently reorganising the technical requirements for the ongoing Trusan Sapi paddy irrigation project.
Jamawi urged engineers and technical staff to spend more time on the ground, saying he had personally resorted to sending screenshots via his phone to the department director to flag on-site issues.
“I always advise all staff to understand the situation of our clients, especially farmers who face many difficulties.
“I ask engineers to go to the field to the point where I myself had to send screenshots to the director through my phone,” he said.
He added that agriculture-related development meetings should be held at project sites rather than offices to ensure a clearer grasp of ground realities.
“This is the reality of working in the agriculture sector. If you cannot stand the heat, you can choose another career that does not require constant fieldwork,” he said.
Jamawi described the Trusan Sapi experience as a necessary paradigm shift in improving service delivery and extended his call beyond the DID to encompass all departments and agencies under the Ministry.
He also proposed the establishment of a Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) at both ministry and department levels to monitor social media developments and channel accurate information to staff before field action is taken.
On a different note, Jamawi congratulated all award recipients and the organising committee, framing the annual event as more than a ceremonial occasion.
“This ceremony is not merely an annual event, it is a symbol of appreciation for the contributions and service of our staff in carrying out their duties and a catalyst to drive future performance.
“When criticism is given, take it as guidance to improve. God willing, sustained effort will bring recognition to all,” he said.
