By Admin
Monday March 31. 2014
BY DAP STAFF
SANDAKAN:- Member of Parliament for Sandakan, Stephen Wong Tien Fatt from DAP, questions the new order by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries, which has restricted the distribution of subsidized rice to non-urban retail outlets.
Under the Order dated 18 February 2014, issued by the Director General of the Paddy and Rice Control Section of the Ministry, beginning from April 1, wholesalers are no longer permitted to sell subsidized rice, consisting of 15% broken rice in 10kg blue packages (ST15% / S15%), to many of the usual retail outlets such as hypermarkets, supermarkets and grocery shops. Those retailers who are allowed to sell the subsidized rice has been restricted to those under the categories of, or within the areas of, FELDA, Co-operatives, e-Kasih, Kedai Runcit 1 Malaysia, rural, low cost housing, etc.
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“In other words, retailers in urban areas are no longer allowed to sell the subsidized rice. Many retailers in town areas in Sandakan, including the traditional grocery shops and supermarkets, have complained to me that they and their customers would be affected comes April 1,” said Wong.
According to the Order, the stated purpose of such restrictions is to ensure that the subsidized rice would reach the intended beneficiaries, i.e. the low income group and the poor. Wong questioned, “Is the Ministry saying that there are no low income or poor people in urban areas? Or is this a ploy to punish the urban voters for not voting for Barisan Nasional in last year’s general election? In fact, given the higher costs of living in urban areas, many of the lower income or poor urban folks are equally deserving of the subsidized rice as the rural population.”
It is widely known that in the last election, most of the seats in urban areas across the country had been won by the opposition alliance of Pakatan Rakyat.
Further, Wong also resented the implied suggestion that the retailers in urban areas would not be able or willing to obey the Ministry’s directive to restrict the sale of the subsidized rice to the intended beneficiaries and Malaysian citizens only. “Urban retailers are equally capable as the rural retailers to ensure that the sale of the subsidized rice would not be abused. There is no good justification for discriminating against the urban retailers, which would in turn adversely affect the poor urban folks.”
Wong also expressed his worry that by being selective in distributing the subsidized rice, it would only create opportunities for misuse and corruption. “Rarity will only create opportunities for middlemen. The problem could be overcome by requiring all retailers, whether rural or urban, to verify the identity of the purchasers of the subsidized rice to ensure that they are Malaysians. Discrimination would only worsen the situation.”
Wong therefore called upon the Ministry to treat the urban retailers, and therefore the urban population, equally. “Poverty does not discriminate. Therefore, the government should not,” said Wong.
Under the Order dated 18 February 2014, issued by the Director General of the Paddy and Rice Control Section of the Ministry, beginning from April 1, wholesalers are no longer permitted to sell subsidized rice, consisting of 15% broken rice in 10kg blue packages (ST15% / S15%), to many of the usual retail outlets such as hypermarkets, supermarkets and grocery shops. Those retailers who are allowed to sell the subsidized rice has been restricted to those under the categories of, or within the areas of, FELDA, Co-operatives, e-Kasih, Kedai Runcit 1 Malaysia, rural, low cost housing, etc.
“In other words, retailers in urban areas are no longer allowed to sell the subsidized rice. Many retailers in town areas in Sandakan, including the traditional grocery shops and supermarkets, have complained to me that they and their customers would be affected comes April 1,” said Wong.
According to the Order, the stated purpose of such restrictions is to ensure that the subsidized rice would reach the intended beneficiaries, i.e. the low income group and the poor. Wong questioned, “Is the Ministry saying that there are no low income or poor people in urban areas? Or is this a ploy to punish the urban voters for not voting for Barisan Nasional in last year’s general election? In fact, given the higher costs of living in urban areas, many of the lower income or poor urban folks are equally deserving of the subsidized rice as the rural population.”
It is widely known that in the last election, most of the seats in urban areas across the country had been won by the opposition alliance of Pakatan Rakyat.
Further, Wong also resented the implied suggestion that the retailers in urban areas would not be able or willing to obey the Ministry’s directive to restrict the sale of the subsidized rice to the intended beneficiaries and Malaysian citizens only. “Urban retailers are equally capable as the rural retailers to ensure that the sale of the subsidized rice would not be abused. There is no good justification for discriminating against the urban retailers, which would in turn adversely affect the poor urban folks.”
Wong also expressed his worry that by being selective in distributing the subsidized rice, it would only create opportunities for misuse and corruption. “Rarity will only create opportunities for middlemen. The problem could be overcome by requiring all retailers, whether rural or urban, to verify the identity of the purchasers of the subsidized rice to ensure that they are Malaysians. Discrimination would only worsen the situation.”
Wong therefore called upon the Ministry to treat the urban retailers, and therefore the urban population, equally. “Poverty does not discriminate. Therefore, the government should not,” said Wong.
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