Kuala Lumpur: A Member of Parliament (MP) has proposed that the government amend the Control of Paddy and Rice Act 1994 (Act 522) to allow legal action to be taken against the act of mixing Local White Rice (BPT) with Imported White Rice (BPI). Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim highlighted that Act 522 is seen as deficient, as it lacks legal provisions that classify the act of mixing as a criminal offense.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Hassan Abdul Karim emphasized that there has yet to be a court case involving charges against any party for mixing local white rice with imported rice. He proposed amending the Act to include a section that defines this mixing as a criminal offense subject to legal penalties. During his debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat, Hassan noted that 93 factories and 130 wholesalers and retailers had been investigated for such acts, but no charges have been filed to date.
Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal called on the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) to finalize a proposal to introduce a single-grade BPT. As the head of the Food Cluster Monitoring Task Force of the National Action Council on Cost of Living (NACCOL), Syed Abu Hussin argued that the proposal aims to address price manipulation and combat rice cartel activities. He mentioned presenting the proposal for one grade, one price rice at the NACCOL full meeting on February 23, 2024, but no final decision has been reached.
Datuk Idris Ahmad (PN-Bagan Serai) suggested re-establishing the National Paddy and Rice Board to ensure fairer rights for farmers in the local rice market. Additionally, he proposed that the government directly provide fertiliser to the National Farmers’ Organisation (Nafas) for targeted distribution through the Pilot Fertiliser Scheme.
Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut) urged the government to submit a report on the paddy and rice cartel completed by the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC). The Dewan Rakyat Fourth Session (of the 15th Parliament) is scheduled to continue next Wednesday, February 12.