Rice hoarders to face stern action, says PM

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has issued a warning stating that parties found hoarding rice in Malaysia will be brought to court. The Prime Minister gave this directive to Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, emphasizing the importance of monitoring the issue and taking action against violators. Anwar explained that the rising price of rice in Indonesia is due to 18 rice supplying countries reducing or blocking their rice exports, causing a demand and supply issue. He further stated that anyone caught hoarding rice will face legal consequences, as it is an act of capitalizing on the people’s misery. Anwar made these remarks during his speech at the Ceramah Mega Perpaduan Madani event in conjunction with the Pelangai state by-election.

The event was also attended by Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and BN candidate for the Pelangai state by-election Datuk Amizar Abu Adam. Earlier, Mohamad Sabu announced that the Prime Minister had agreed to implement four additional interventions, including the establishment of the Special Integrated Enforcement Task Force for White Rice (OP BPT), to address the issue of rice supply in Malaysia. Anwar, who serves as both the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman and Finance Minister, mentioned that the government is actively seeking solutions for the rice problem but acknowledged that time is required for its resolution.

He invited the public to be patient and allow a week to monitor the situation. If the issue persists, further discussions will be held before tabling the 2024 Budget on October 13. Anwar revealed that the government plans to increase the rice subsidy by RM400 million for a few months to alleviate the problem. He emphasized that the rice issue extends beyond the Peninsula and also affects Sabah and Sarawak. Anwar mentioned the government’s decision to allocate the RM400 million subsidy to premises such as army camps, police stations, and school hostels to encourage the use of imported rice, thereby increasing the availability of local white rice in the market. These statements were made during Anwar’s speech at the ‘Segalanya Felda Carnival’ held at Dataran Niaga Felda Chemomoi.

Source: Bernama