KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has urged the government to prepare a White Paper on the national padi and rice industry to address various issues facing the sector.
The Pagoh MP said the main concern now revolved around the availability of local rice in the market.
"After meeting with major rice entrepreneurs and distributors in Malaysia, I was shocked by what is happening in the rice industry.
"The local and imported rice are mixed, but it is categorised as imported rice," he said while debating the motion of thanks on the Royal Address in parliament on Thursday (Feb 13).
Earlier, the government announced that the floor price of padi has been adjusted to RM1,500 per tonne, up from the RM1,300 per tonne before this and will take effect from Feb 16.
The government would also maintain the price of local white rice at RM2.60 per kg by absorbing approximately RM150mil in production costs for six months.
Muhyiddin said the imported rice is sold at a much higher price.
"This is not only unhealthy but also a deceptive practice.
"The Agriculture and Food Security Minister earlier said that this issue cannot be resolved with the existing laws and is limited.
"But I think there are many other laws that we can use to address this," argued Muhyiddin.
"I don’t think this can be solved through the Ministerial Briefing in Parliament in just half an hour.
"I propose that the government consider preparing a White Paper on the national rice and paddy industry.
"We want it to be similar to the Felda White Paper, which was debated and passed here, and then only we can implement the necessary actions comprehensively," said Muhyiddin.
