Arau MP wants to know who is behind company given the nod to import eggs

KUALA LUMPUR: The Arau MP wants to know who is behind the company that was given the nod by the government to import chicken eggs into the country.

"We want to know who is the person who is importing the eggs?

"The matter should be expedited as the rakyat wants to know because the person who is importing is said to have made a name for himself in public and is often linked to personalities.

"When the rakyat ask me, I tell them how would I know, I don't know," Shahidan said in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (March 2).

Shahidan said this when he stood up to inform Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor that he intended to file an emergency motion on the issue.

"The prime minister previously said that everything would be done via an open tender, yet it was only given to one importer,” he said

Ramli told Shahidan to submit his motion in writing to Dewan Rakyat Speaker for consideration.

Earlier this week, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, in a written reply to Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan (PN-Tasik Gelugor), confirmed that only one company was given the approval to import chicken eggs from India.

He said the ministry had then agreed to approve the special import permit for a period of six months, starting from December last year.

The eggs imported from India are white-shelled, weighing between 50g and 55g, which can be classified as Grade D eggs in Malaysia.

On Tuesday (Feb 28), Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong informed Dewan Rakyat that he had recieved a legal letter from lawyers representing the company improving the chicken eggs from India for speaking on the issue.

A bewildered Dr Wee said he had merely raises the matter last Wednesday (Feb 22) when debating the motion of thanks on the Royal Address.

During his debate, Dr Wee warned that the government would face a barrage of criticism if the chicken egg shortage was not resolved as Ramadan and Hari Raya Aidilfitri drew near.

The MCA president also brought out three different eggs, one from India, a locally-produced regular egg, and an Omega 3-enriched egg to show their size difference and cost.

In a Facebook post on Thursday (March 2), Dr Wee uploaded a photograph of a second letter issues by the lawyers representing the company.

He said that he will not bow to pressure and will continue to speak out for the rakyat in Parliament.

An unfazed Dr Wee said that he is leaving the matter to his legal team to take action.

The name of the company in question was inadvertently revealed in the letter uploaded by Dr Wee.