Brother Johari is keen on the study of low-carb rice for health

KUCHING, 6 Oct: Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg encourages scientists and researchers to explore the production of rice with a lower carbohydrate content as an alternative to healthier foods.

He said innovation in rice production should not only focus on increasing yield per hectare, but also take into account the health aspects of consumers.

"Another possibility is that you as a scientist can figure out how to produce less sugary rice", he said during the inaugural Sarawak Priestly Conference (SARICON II) 2026 here, today.

Brother Johari said that excessive carbohydrate intake can contribute to health problems, so research to produce rice varieties better suited to health needs should be improved.

"From a health perspective, if rice is high in carbohydrates, it can lead to health problems", he says.

In this regard, he encouraged researchers to use scientific and technological expertise to explore the possibility of producing rice with a lower carbohydrate content, including researching basmati rice characteristics as among references.

"If we could produce rice like basmati or low-carb rice, I think Malaysia would be healthy", he said.

He said the efforts could be part of a more comprehensive approach to developing food systems that are not only productive, but also quality and benefit people's health.