PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants more frequent monitoring and enforcement to be carried out to address the shortage of local white rice in the market.
Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said the monitoring and enforcement approaches also required changes to ensure a more effective distribution of local white rice.
"I personally have heard the concerns raised by traders regarding the shortage,” he said at the Finance Ministry’s assembly here on Thursday (March 21).
On the recent Special Meeting of the National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol), Anwar said the government’s firmness in addressing the issue of rice prices and supplies had been evident, leading to a decrease in the market prices of imported white rice.
"Alhamdulillah, the prices have dropped by RM3, or by RM2 at some places. Basically, between RM2 and RM3, and that’s a lot for buyers and regular consumers,” he said.
Regarding the shortage of local white rice in the market, Anwar said the Naccol meeting also revealed that the country has 150,000 tonnes of local white rice to distribute but it is not enough for everyone.
At present, he said local white rice is sold and distributed by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) and the Farmers Organisations Authority (LPP) at a price of RM26 per pack of 10 kilogrammes (kg).
"In reality, our (Malaysia) rice, sugar and crude oil prices are the cheapest in Southeast Asia and this fact is not being emphasised,” he said.
On March 19, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (KPKM) announced that the retail prices of imported white rice (BPI) would be reduced between RM2 and RM3. It took effect on Wednesday (March 20).
The current retail price of local white rice in the market is between RM38 to RM45 for a 10kg pack and with the announcement of the new price range, the price for the 10kg pack would drop to RM35. - Bernama
