KOTA KINABALU: The price of rice will remain the same, at least for the time being, despite country exporters banning the export of the commodity, says Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
"There has been no decision (by the government) to increase the price of rice for now," said the acting Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister here on Friday (Aug 25) when asked if there will be a price hike due to the halting of rice exports.
Speaking to reporters after an event in the Papar district, he said the government was aware of issues that the country might face when it depended on food sources from abroad.
This was not limited to export policies alone, he added, as it could also involve geopolitical matters such as the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
"That is why we look at the issues related to supply from overseas closely besides how we could ensure price stability on our side," Armizan said.
Secondly, he said, the government was looking at how the country can start growing certain crops to strengthen its self-sufficiency level (SSL).
"This is despite some of those crops would cost us more when grown in the country compared with importing them which is cheaper.
"But we have no choice because of the present global landscape. We can’t depend 100% on food supplies from outside," he said.
Armizan said although Malaysia was still importing rice, the government had made efforts to curtail that reliance on exporting countries.
He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had recently raised the Padi Price Subsidy Scheme (SSHP) rate in order to encourage padi farming.
"This increment is quite high and has never been before. This was to ensure our own people continue to plant padi to fuel our supply," he said.
On the other hand, he said, the country faced a bigger issue on the supply of raw sugar which Malaysia depended 100% on Brazil.
As such, Armizan said, the government has identified a number of locations in Peninsular Malaysia to be studied for the planting of sugarcane.
"We want to bring back sugarcane planting at suitable locations," he said.
Towards this end, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak and Special Functions) also urged state governments to map out areas that could be utilised for padi and sugarcane planting.
"Why not Sabah do it through government-linked companies, among others.
"I believe Sabah and Sarawak can be the pioneer suppliers of certain food sources and do not necessarily need to depend on the peninsula," he said.
