KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) assured that the government is not sitting idle and will do everything in its power to ease the burden of the people affected by the current increase in global rice prices.
He said this included the various intervention measures announced by Agriculture and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu on Monday (Oct 2) to ease the people's concern regarding the increase in the price of imported white rice and the rise in demand for local white rice.
"I have held a meeting with him (Mohamad Sabu) at my office to discuss and find solutions regarding the rice situation in the country.
"It is hoped that these measures can help ease their burden. Insya-Allah," he wrote in his Facebook post today.
Anwar, also the Finance Minister, said the Unity Government is concerned about the current issue, especially when the people want guarantees about the local rice supply and the imported price.
"The decision was made today. (Government premises) will buy only imported rice... how much is the subsidy? Almost RM400 million because it is not free," said Anwar, adding that the move could increase the local rice supply by about 5%, equal to the amount used by the government premises.
According to Anwar, the phenomenon of escalating rice prices is not only happening in Malaysia but also regional countries following the actions of 19 countries in limiting the export of rice to give priority to their people.
Earlier, Mohamad Sabu told a special press conference that the Prime Minister had agreed to implement four additional intervention measures to overcome the rice supply issue in the country.
These included directing the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) to increase the distribution of local white rice in rural areas, including sundry shops, with the government bearing the transportation cost.
For Sabah and Sarawak, Mohamad said the government agreed to give a subsidy of RM950 per tonne for BPI beginning Oct 5, enabling BPI to be obtained at a retail price of RM31 per 10-kilogramme.- Bernama
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