Umno Youth chief defends suggestion to restrict local rice sale to foreigners

Umno Youth chief Muhamad Akmal Saleh has defended his suggestion to restrict the sale of local rice exclusively to Malaysians due to rising prices driven by a market shortage.

Akmal clarified that this issue was not a matter of discrimination, stating priority should be given to Malaysians.

“It’s true that foreign workers are not rich, but comparing the commitments they have to Malaysians, it is far different.

“They (foreigners) live in rented houses and eat together. They don’t pay car and house loans, (or have) children in school.

“If local rice is abundant in the market, then we don’t have a problem, but now it’s difficult to get rice to the point where we have to fight with them (foreigners),” he said on Facebook today.

Akmal emphasised that this should be treated as a short-term remedy, as it can only address the immediate rice shortage crisis, not a lasting solution.

The Umno leader made this statement in response to criticism from Mydin Mohamed Holdings Berhad (Mydin) managing director Ameer Ali Mydin, who argued that Akmal's suggestion would not effectively address the existing problems.

In a MalaysiaNow report, Ameer pointed out that the proposed limit would complicate operations and place a heavier workload on supermarket and retail store staff, who would need to verify every purchase made.

He further stressed the importance of preventing a scenario where the government, rather than resolving an issue, inadvertently complicates it for the people.

According to MalaysiaNow, Akmal made his initial suggestion on Sept 14.

Local white rice is reportedly experiencing a shortage after demand increased in response to imported rice prices being hiked.

The price hike for imported rice was enacted in response to India's ban on non-basmati white rice exports, which account for 40 percent of global rice exports, due to escalating domestic prices.

Putrajaya then implemented a restriction of 10 bags of 10kg local white rice, totalling 100kg per customer.

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