The Agriculture and Food Securities Ministry through the Padi and Rice Regulatory Board said it will work with the Malaysia Competition Commission to investigate allegations of syndicates in the country’s rice industry.
Its minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the investigation is expected to take time as MyCC needs to understand the overall structure of the industry first.
He also said the food chain aspect in the rice sector involves multiple stages, necessitating a detailed and comprehensive investigation.
“Allegations are investigated over time; allegations are one thing, investigations another, and after completing an investigation, we discuss actions… investigations are ongoing,” he told a press conference here today.
Associations have claimed that there was a certain ‘game’ going on within Padiberas Nasional Bhd, in addition to claiming that cartels were most likely in existence.
Barim president Ismail Awang claimed association members did not receive supplies of local rice from Bernas on the grounds that there was no stock available, while at the same time, most hypermarkets received such supplies.
