Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir has been urged to intervene in the proposed delisting of Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) from Bursa Malaysia, in order to protect farmers who are the backbone of the state dubbed the ‘rice bowl of Malaysia’.

PKR’s Alor Setar MP Gooi Hsiao Leung said Bernas will vote on the proposal at its extraordinary general meeting (EGM) scheduled for this morning.

"The fate of hundreds of thousands of rice farmers will be affected by the delisting, giving tycoon Syed Mohktar Al-Bhukhary’s (right) companies total control of Bernas," Gooi said at a forum organised by rice farmers and two NGOs - BelaTani and Badan Bertindak Pesawah Padi Malaysia - in Alor Setar last Friday.

Gooi was referring to Mukhriz's remarks at a press conference last Wednesday, in which he stressed that agriculture is an important sector which deserves focus.

Mukhriz had said this when ticking off the government for not doing enough to reduce costs in government sectors, like agriculture, in addressing economic problems.

Bernas is a national strategic asset that plays a key role in ensuring food security, controlling more than 24 percent of the national rice market and 45 percent of local rice supply, Gooi said.

Delisting Bernas would shield it from public scrutiny and the company could potentially be stripped of its assets, or restructure its shareholding or even sell off its shares to foreigners, he noted.

"My attempts to raise a motion of importance to debate the Bernas delisting exercise in Parliament was shot down by the speaker," Gooi said.

"To date, no specific details have been given by the government as to the exact nature of the restructuring exercise and future direction of Bernas after its delisting.

"Will Mukhriz (right) walk the talk to make agriculture his main priority, by using his influence to urge the government to stop Bernas' delisting plan and to disclose the full restructuring plan?

"This is (necessary) to ensure that the long-term interests of rice farmers and interested stakeholders are not jeopardised by the delisting exercise.”

Last November, during the Sungai Limau state by-election campaign, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had questioned how Syed Mokhtar has been allowed to own shares worth RM1.4 million in the national rice firm.

Prior to that, Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Bernas had explained that the delisting exercise was temporary, pending restructuring of the firm.

"Regrettably, the government has over the years allowed Bernas to stray from its original intention and privatised the agency, with 45 percent of equity having been allotted to interested stakeholders," Gooi said.

These stakeholders are the Muda Agriculture Development Board, the Kemubu Agriculture Development Authority and the National Farmers Organisation which could protect the interests of rice farmers and distributors, he added.