KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup has vowed to investigate serious allegations regarding the manipulation of local white rice production.
"We need to investigate further. The Padi and Rice Regulatory division will visit the mills to determine if the allegations of mixing local white rice with imported rice are accurate.
"If this is indeed occurring, we will need to introduce new regulations to ensure that local white rice is available to meet the needs of the Malaysian people," he told the Dewan Rakyat.
This follows claims by opposition MP Mohd Misbahul Munir Masduki (PN-Parit Buntar) that local rice is being repackaged as imported rice by processing mills, contributing to a shortage of stock in the country.
"There are claims that local padi is sent to rice mills in the morning, but when farmers try to buy rice in the evening, it has become imported rice.
"Why is this happening? Is the government monitoring rice production nationwide to trace how locally harvested padi ends up as imported rice by the afternoon?" said Misbahul who raised concerns during the minister's question time in the Dewan Rakyat today.