Page 10 - MAEPS - Journey Through the Decade

Journey through the decade: An Agro-Wonderland Tale

‘
I saw this baby grow’

DATUK DR ABD SHUKOR ABD RAHMAN
Former Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute
(MARDI) Director-General (2005 – 2013)

t was a challenging time, presented to then Prime Minister MAEPS has turned into the largest
yet for Datuk Dr Abd Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. He agro-food ground in Malaysia.
I Shukor Abd Rahman, it agreed and the government made I’m excited and happy to see how
was a most memorable experience. a substantial allocation to develop our baby has grown and is now a
From just flat land dedicated for MAEPS. teenager.
research and development work to a We didn’t have much experience But MAEPS is not just about MAHA.
venue that hosts an array of events, then. We had 130 hectares at our To become a successful adult, MAEPS
the former MARDI director-general disposal and we wanted to get it right. must be a business centre. MAEPS is
has seen MAEPS grow over the years. Some of us in the committee were located in Serdang and it is a hub for
Abd Shukor shares the plans and sent to Canada and Australia to study so many things ... MARDI is next door
behind-the-scene work which led showgrounds there. while two universities (Universiti
to MAEPS becoming Malaysia’s, if We returned with better insights Putra Malaysia and Universiti
not the region’s, largest agriculture and thanks to UEM Builders, we Tenaga Nasional) are nearby. Several
showground. managed to complete Phase 2 of agriculture agencies are located here
MAEPS in record time – work started as well and Hospital Serdang. There
in 2007 and in less than a year, the are five-star hotels just minutes away
I was appointed MARDI director- developer built four exhibition and it’s quite near to KL International
general in 2005 when the then halls, the showgrounds, the 13 state Airport.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry pavilions and the landscape of the Just look at the amount of potential
Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin whole area. It was an amazing feat and possible collaborations with these
proposed that there be a permanent and in time for MAHA 2008. entities!
venue for the Malaysia Agriculture, My fondest memory of MAEPS Before I left, I envisioned MAEPS to
Holticulture and Agrotourism (MAHA) has to be Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s be a theme park ... one that is active
show. speech during the launching of MAHA and alive every minute of the day. I
I believed MARDI should take 2008 when he announced that MAEPS hope to see that happen in the near
the lead and our land in Serdang would be the permanent venue and future.
was among the handful of locations that gave us a sense of joy and relief. For now, I’m happy to see what
proposed to Muhyiddin. He bought Credit must be given to every head MAEPS has become but more can
the idea of MAEPS being the dedicated of department within the ministry be done and should be done for it to
venue for MAHA and the rest is at that time. We all came together, become a household name not only in
history. from various agencies, and made this this region but across the globe.”
A committee was formed and it happen. Such teamwork is a rarity
was chaired by the ministry’s then these days.
secretary general Tan Sri Abi Musa. I I must also thank former MAEPS
headed the operations bit. chief executive officer Datuk Arif
The findings of the committee were Othman for helping out.

8