Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim slammed the government’s move to extend the concession period of Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) which has the power to monopolize rice imports.
He said the extension should be stopped so that farmers, farmers and paddy farmers can directly benefit.
“One company has a monopoly with a profit of hundreds of millions of ringgit. Why can’t farmers be helped through the National Farmers Organization (Nafas) or farmers’ organizations.
“Why continue the monopoly policy to give the rich a profit when we are talking about efforts to reduce the burden on the people,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat when asked additional questions to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, Ronald Kiandee regarding the extended decision.
Anwar stressed that the government should stop the monopoly on rice imports and strongly oppose policies that benefit capitalists in a difficult situation for the people and paddy farmers.
Meanwhile, Ronald reiterated the government’s decision to extend the Bernas concession period as the right action in covering the supply of rice which is the country’s staple food.
He said Bernas was also responsible for managing the supply of rice in the country so that it was always stable.
Previously, the government agreed to extend the Bernas concession for rice distribution in Malaysia for another 10 years from 11 Jan 2021 to 10 Jan 2031.
More than 35,000 unsold properties worth RM22.45bil as of Q1 this year, says Housing Ministry
KUALA LUMPUR: There are more than 35,000 unsold new properties worth a total of RM22.45bil across the country as of the first quarter of this year, the Dewan Rakyat hears.
According to the Housing and Local Government Ministry, data by the National Property Information Centre (Napic) showed there were a total of 35,592 completed and unsold properties worth a total of RM22.45bil.
The bulk of it were properties from the RM300,000 to RM500,000 range, which recorded 10,501 properties consisting of 29.5%, followed by 10,227 properties ranging from RM500,000 to RM1mil.
There were 10,158 unsold completed properties below RM300,000 and properties valued over RM1mil had 4,706 unsold completed units, the ministry added.
The Housing and Local Government Ministry was responding to Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin (BN-Rompin) in a written reply dated July 19 (Tuesday).
Sexual harassment tribunal administrator should be a committee, not an individual, says Azalina
KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (Pengerang-BN) questioned today the rationale behind appointing the secretary-general of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development as the special anti-sexual harassment administrator under the Sexual Harassment Bill 2021.
The former law minister said that the appointment of a single individual to the role could be challenged under administrative laws for illegality, irrationality and unreasonableness in court as it does not happen anywhere else in the world where such laws exist.
“This is unacceptable because how can one individual, the secretary-general, be appointed as the administrator?
“Why should the secretary-general be the moral police for sexual harassment? It’s illogical,” she said during the debate on the Bill today.
Amendments to seven bills under Finance Ministry tabled in parliament
KUALA LUMPUR: Amendments to seven bills under the Finance Ministry were tabled for the first reading in Parliament today.
The bills are the Customs (Amendment) Bill 2022 to amend the Customs Act 1967, the Excise (Amendment) Bill 2022 to amend the Excise Act 1976 and the Free Zones (Amendment) Bill 2022 to amend the Free Zones Act 1990.
Also tabled are the Tourism Tax (Amendment) Bill 2022 to amend the Tourism Tax Act 2017, the Departure Levy (Amendment) Bill 2022 to amend the Departure Levy Act 2019 and the Windfall Profit Levy (Amendment) Bill 2022 to amend the Windfall Profit Levy Act 1998.
The Goods Vehicle Levy (Amendment) Bill 2022 was also tabled to amend the Goods Vehicle Levy Act 1983.
Deputy Finance Minister 1 Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah said when tabling the bill that the second reading of all the bills would be made at the same sitting
More than 1 million passports issued since January, says Home Ministry
KUALA LUMPUR: More than one million passports have been issued by the Immigration Department since January this year, the Dewan Rakyat heard.
The Home Ministry said there were a total of 1,116,730 passports issued from January up till July 15 this year.
“The number of applications received since the borders reopened on April 1 up till July 15 stood at 803,011 (passports),” said the Home Ministry in a written reply dated July 19 (Tuesday).
