PUTRAJAYA: The Rice and Padi Regulatory Division seized 645.75 tonnes of subsidised rice worth RM2.1mil at a warehouse in Sibu last week.
The division under the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry carried out Ops Taring Bravo 3 on May 15 and 16, with the cooperation of the police and the Malaysian Checkpoints and Border Agency.
In a statement, the ministry said that various grades, including imported white rice (BPI), were seized.
The premises had no licence issued under the Control of Padi and Rice Act 1994 (Act 522).
“The division has confiscated the rice stock along with the related documents for further investigation under Act 522 and the Control of Padi and Rice (Licensing of Wholesalers and Retailers) Regulations 1996 PU (A) 624,” it said yesterday, Bernama reported.
On Oct 5 last year, the government agreed to subsidise BPI in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan at RM950 per tonne. Rice would cost RM31 per 10kg after the change.
