Mr.Ministar, please you should give us more clearer picture/explanation about your statement that "Shahrir urged Malaysians to change their eating habits to cut the impact of rising rice prices.”We have to see changes in lifestyle among Malaysians to accommodate this economic situation," he said"
Rice is most important item of Malaysian citizens. Do you mean that we should eat less rice due price hike in the market?
Gov't to subsidise rice price
Apr 28, 08 4:24pm
The government will subsidise the soaring price of rice to ensure the staple food remains affordable for consumers, minister in charge of consumer affairs said today amid global concern about high food prices.
"At the moment there is no rice subsidy... But that will come in the future," Shahrir Abdul Samad, the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister, told reporters at parliament house when asked if Malaysia would provide one.
The minister added that "we can at least assure the lower income group that local rice will be made available to them at affordable prices."
Countries across Asia are grappling with rapid increases in food costs, which experts say threaten many of the region's poor with hunger.
Prices of popular grades of rice in Malaysia are up substantially. One local brand spiked by 26 percent last week.
Shahrir urged Malaysians to change their eating habits to cut the impact of rising rice prices. "We have to see changes in lifestyle among Malaysians to accommodate this economic situation," he said.
Better farming methods
Agriculture minister Mustapa Mohamed said Malaysia would try to increase local rice production through better farming methods.
"Our priority now is to concentrate on the immediate term. There is a need for the use of more fertilisers and we need to buy farming equipment to increase yields and productivity," he said.
Malaysia produces some 1.6 million tonnes of rice, which meets 70 percent of domestic consumption. The balance is imported from neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam.
A local consumer hailed the plan to provide a rice subsidy.
"All the types of rice I am familiar with have gone up since last week. It is hurting my pocket," said housewife Siti Nora.
-AFP
