There’s been plenty of worry about rising costs and insufficient supplies. But, Managing Director of MYDIN, Ameer Ali Mydin recently spoke out to share his take on the concerning matter in Malaysia, specifically on the issues affecting rice supply.
In a conversation with Free Malaysia Today on their talk show, “Stakeholders with Shireen”, Ameer Ali passionately addressed the issue, highlighting several uses of the problems and how to rectify them but what stood out in his speech were his criticisms against the government’s actions.
The Mydin managing director held nothing back as he claimed the government had failed to properly deal with issues affecting the rice, eggs and chicken supply. He also alleged the government needed to “allocate the right resources” to tackle concerns regarding Malaysia’s food security.
One of his criticisms was that the government needed to make “enough land” available to produce rice. Ameer then brought up the Budget 2024 proposal which suggested opening up 50,000 hectares in Sabah and Sarawak, calling it a “laughing matter”.
“Thailand has 10 million hectares producing rice, Indonesia has 15 (million), Vietnam has eight (million). We have only one (million),” he pointed out. “So where is the seriousness of making sure we have enough rice for ourselves?” Ameer suggested the government allocate an additional 500,000 hectares over the next three years to ensure a sufficient supply.
The Mydin managing director also called on the government to change the way they manage the rice supply of the country. He suggested producing premium rice for export and importing lower-quality grains for local consumption. He also proposed dismantling the monopoly Bernas (Malaysia’s national rice manager) has on rice imports, as it allegedly makes it less affordable.
“If you allow me to import today, it will cost RM32 for a 10kg bag, but I have to go through Bernas. It cost me RM38. These guys mark up six ringgit for a 10kg bag,” he explained. “Who is paying for it? The consumers.” Ameer opined that the government should now allow market forces to determine the price of rice as “historical” reasons for Bernas’s monopoly no longer applied.
As for the egg and chicken supply, Ameer attributed the shortage of regular eggs to price controls imposed by the government and a failure to make prompt subsidy payments to producers, while claiming the shortage of chickens was due to “cartel” operations in Malaysia. Notably enough, the Mydin managing director also predicted a sugar shortage if its ceiling price remains fixed at RM2.85 per kg.
As Ameer Ali Mydin aptly commented during his talk: “This is how we (the government) should manage the country. I don’t think we are thinking that way.” Ameer’s clear explanation has since received overwhelming support from netizens, with some acknowledging his expertise on the issue.
Watch Ameer Ali Mydin’s discussion here:
Sources: YouTube, Free Malaysia Today
