KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth urges Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim not to allow the proposal for Malaysia Madani white rice by Bukit Gantang Member of Parliament, Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Faisal, to proceed.
Its chief, Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, said they believed that if Malaysia Madani white rice were to be introduced, local white rice would no longer be available in the market.
Muhamad Akmal, who is also the Melaka State Executive Councillor for Rural Development, Agriculture, and Food Security, said that local white rice is currently difficult to find in the country's market.
"We should continue to oppose cartels that mix local rice with imported rice, not support what they are doing. If this Madani rice exists, I believe there will be no local white rice in the market at all. Even now, the issue of local white rice is so difficult for us to obtain," he said on his Facebook today.
Previously, Syed Abu Hussin is the chairman of the National Action Council for Cost of Living (NACCOL) food cluster task force announced that the government is introducing a single category for white rice to replace the local and imported white rice categories in the country's market, known as Malaysia Madani white rice.
Syed Abu Hussin reportedly said the government also set a ceiling price for the white rice at a price of RM30 for a 10kg sack, RM15.50 for 5kg, and RM3.50 for 1kg.
Dr Muhamad Akmal said that if Malaysia Madani white rice is sold in the market, there will no longer be white rice sold at the price of RM26.
"Why? Because these traders, instead of selling local white rice for RM26, would rather sell it for RM30. They would make more profit," he said.
He also questioned Syed Abu Hussin's action in bringing up the issue of Malaysia Madani white rice.
"What is the locus standi of this Member of Parliament for Bukit Gantang to speak about Malaysian Madani White Rice? I ask that you advise this Member of Parliament for Bukit Gantang not to speak beyond his research. If he wants to speak, to make media statements, conduct proper research," he said.