KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) will be launching Rahmat Rice Sales to help lighten the burden of the people affected by the price hike of imported rice as well as the absence of local rice.
Its deputy minister Fuziah Salleh said via the programme, consumers can obtain rice at subsidised prices, via a RM150 million allocation passed by Parliament.
“Rice is a controlled item which KPDN has no authority to control its price. But today we kept hearing the people’s grouses, so KPDN seeks ways to resolve the issue of imported rice price increase and why local rice supply has allegedly run out,” she said.
Fuziah was winding up the debate of the Mid-Term Review of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP MTR) for KPDN at the Dewan Rakyat today.
Apart from that, she said being aware of the country’s dependence on imported raw materials such as sugar and onions, KPDN has implemented a mechanism to control the price of such goods so that they do not burden the people.
“Now, Malaysia is dependent on imported goods...we are tied with the source countries for example when India stops exporting sugar and wants to raise the onion export tax, the moves will have an effect on our country.
“However, we will try our best to manage. For example, we impose ceiling prices so we can control sugar prices. Later we control and subsidise in the case of eggs, Grades A, B, C, and D. Besides we also hold Rahmah Sales where we give discounts of between 10 to 30 per cent,” Fuziah said.
— Bernama
