Malaysia ,Tokai rep: Worker ordered to repackage local white rice
The Kedah State Assembly has raised concerns over the shortage of local white rice in the domestic market, attributing the issue to rice millers mislabeling local rice as imported. This practice has led to higher prices for local rice, despite Kedah contributing 44% of Malaysia’s rice production. The government has pledged to address the issue through a special committee. Critics argue that the situation undermines efforts to ensure sufficient rice supply despite significant government subsidies for the paddy industry.
ALOR STAR: The Kedah State Assembly was told today that the shortage of local white rice supply in the domestic market was due to irresponsible actions by rice millers packing the grain as imported white rice.
Perikatan Nasional’s Tokai assemblyman Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman said this was confirmed by a worker at one of the rice millers in the state.
“The supply of our white rice is there. However, recently I spoke to a worker of a rice miller whom I shall not name here.
“I asked him, whether it was true that there was no supply of local white rice. He admitted that padi harvested by local farmers was milled into rice at the plant.
“However, he told me that his employer ordered the workers to pack the local white rice into imported white rice packaging. This is what is happening on the ground,” he informed the House while debating the 2025 Kedah Budget today.
He said there were 57,635 farmers cultivating 118,000 hectares of padi fields under the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada), with Kedah contributing 44 per cent to the national rice production.
Hence, he said it was disheartening that Kedah was also not spared from the “shortage” of local white rice supply.
“Our farmers work hard to cultivate padi but when the padi is sent to the millers, it is later sold as imported rice.
“The local rice used to be sold at RM13 for 5kg packaging, but now they are sold at RM19 while the 10kg packaging used to be sold at RM26 each. Now we have to pay RM44. What is this?” he said.
The former state executive councillor said he did not want to criticise Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
“He is my good friend, but we feel sad that the local rice that we have been eating all this while has suddenly become imported rice for the past two years.
“When asked in Parliament, Abang Mat (Mohamad) replied that whenever the government wants the supply, it will be made available. So, what about people? We also need rice, we all eat rice,” he said.
Dr Hayati said the situation was unacceptable given that the government spent RM1.3 billion annually subsidising the padi industry to ensure a sufficient supply of white rice.
“We have many laws to take action under the ministry but unfortunately he (Mohamad) is passing the buck to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry..
“This is a failure for the ministry that manages food security, but our food supply is insufficient,” he said.
Yesterday, Mohamad said the ministry would a special committee to address the shortage of local white rice. He was reported as saying that the ministry was also conducting engagement sessions with several parties to tackle the issue.
Mohamad said while rice is available, there was a shortage of local white rice.
Recently, Pasir Gudang member of parliament Hassan Abdul Karim expressed concern over the inadequate supply of local white rice in supermarkets, while imported white rice continued to dominate the market.
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Source Link : The Straits Times
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