KUCHING: Rice prices have stabilised in Sarawak following federal government intervention, which includes subsidies and a capped selling price of RM31 for every 10 kg of rice.
Miri MP, Chiew Choon Man, raised the matter in Parliament and engaged in discussions with the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
“After hours of discussion, we have positive news. The government has now set the rice price cap at RM31 for every 10 kg, down from RM41,” he announced on his Facebook page recently.
Chiew said that since September, imported rice prices in Sarawak have become uncontrollable.
“Imagine, previously, the price of rice in Miri was only RM31 for every 10kg, but suddenly it rose to RM41.
“All of this is due to the increase in global rice prices caused by climate change, and many people in Sarawak have been affected by this rise in rice prices,” he added.
He emphasised the need to learn from recent events in Kedah, where syndicates were hoarding rice for their own agenda.
“I have informed the minister about this, and he has agreed to form a special task force to prevent such problems from occurring in Sarawak,” he said.
