OVER RM1.53bil was spent by the government to help padi farmers in the country, including providing them with subsidies, says Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee.
He said agricultural input subsidies were provided under various initiatives, including the Skim Baja Padi Kerajaan Persekutuan and Skim Insentif Pengeluaran Padi (SIPP), while the output subsidy was provided under the Skim Subsidi Harga Padi.
“A special assistance of RM200 per month for a period of three months will be given to padi farmers next year with a total allocation of almost RM230mil.
“The price of rice is according to the quality set by the Padi Industry Development Division and the government because it is adjusted according to the output subsidy,” he added.
An output subsidy is a type of subsidy meant to encourage producers to increase their production output while lowering their expenses.
The government, he added, had increased the subsidised rate of pesticides under the SIPP from RM200 per hectare per season to RM300 per hectare per season for 2022, involving approximately RM62mil
Kiandee also said padi farmers in the peninsula are currently enjoying a Guaranteed Minimum Price (GMP) rate of RM1,200 per metric tonne or RM1.20 per kg.
The GMP was adjusted in 2014, and the rate was also subject to the quality of the rice.
“The government does not intend to review the GMP of rice that has been set for now,” he told Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PH-Pokok Sena).
Mahfuz had asked the ministry to state the GMP for 1kg of padi purchased from farmers.
Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said the goal of the Trade Unions (Amendment) Bill 2022 is to create a legal framework to support the establishment and administration of trade unions in a mature, progressive and relevant manner.
He added the Bill, which was tabled for the second reading, was to amend the Trade Unions Act 1959 with the objective of removing restrictions on the formation of trade unions based on specific establishments or similarities in trade, occupation or industry to allow a diversity of trade unions.
“This is in line with the freedom of association as employees and employers are free to establish or join any trade union of their own choice,” he said when tabling the Bill.
Saravanan said that one of the changes to the Act was to make sure that workers’ rights in this country were protected well by taking into account the principles set out in international labour standard obligations.
He added that it was also to make it easier for Malaysia to negotiate a trade agreement that currently includes an article on international labour standards as one of the terms of the agreement.
