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KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s decision to dismantle the longstanding monopoly of the rice industry by Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) is projected to bring great benefit to the industry if backed by relevant initiatives.
While Malaysian Rice Farmers Fraternity (Pesawah) chairman Mohd Fuad Yaacod applauded the move to alleviate the burden shouldered by local paddy farmers, he said that the government should reconsider aspects of Bernas.
“This decision (to end monopoly in the rice industry) should have been made even before Anwar became prime minister, since Bernas was meant to help farmers after it replaced the National Paddy and Rice Board,” he told The Vibes’ Bahasa Malaysia sister portal Getaran.
He also asserted that if there was no change of government, then the situation would have persisted and farmers would not have been enlightened on “actual conditions”.
He said this in reference to how Anwar had revealed on Monday (December 5) that a company owned by Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim once had a stake in Bernas, which is controlled by billionaire tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary.
It was also reported that Anwar had told Syed Mokhtar that the current government will no longer allow the monopoly of the industry by certain figures who prey on small-time players.
The Pakatan Harapan (PH) leader added that the business mogul had agreed to allocate special funds to be distributed to the poor, local farmers in the short term, with RM10 million to be granted this month while RM50 million will be provided beginning next year.
Meanwhile, Fuad urged the government to consider re-establishing the National Paddy and Rice Board as a body to regulate the rice industry in the nation, claiming that farmers’ welfare was better under the board’s care.
“Farmers know how to differentiate which is better between the National Paddy and Rice Board and Bernas. Previously, the bard used to fight to secure rice supplies and price cuts for farmers but this does not happen now.”
He also suggested that Bernas return 40% of its shares to government agencies such as the Muda Agricultural Development Authority, Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority, and National Farmers Organisation.
“If government agencies are shareholders in Bernas, then the government will have a voice to express any proposal for the good of farmers and across the nation,” he said, noting that the government should also empower research and development initiatives to create quality seeds which will increase farmers’ profits. – The Vibes, December 8, 2022
