MP calls for Mat Sabu to step down over food shortage issues

PARLIAMENT | In debating the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2023, Zulkafperi Hanapi (PN-Tanjong Karang) has called for the resignation of Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu.

This was over Mohamad’s failure to manage his ministry in dealing with issues such as the egg and rice crisis, Zulkafperi claimed.

“A minister has to be responsible for ensuring that the government’s revenue can afford development expenditure, minimise potential loss and ensure revenue management is based on set policies.

“Being a party leader isn’t a criterion to automatically qualify someone to be a minister, and this is clear with the agriculture and food security minister’s failure.

“I apologetically urge Kota Raja (MP Mohamad) to resign as a minister, or for the prime minister to replace him with someone more qualified to solve the food issues the people are facing,” he told the Dewan Rakyat.

A shortage in supply of local rice to consumers was reported three weeks ago, with added allegations that a cartel was manipulating the price of local rice, through selling standard rice - which is price-controlled - as broken rice, which is not price-controlled.

In July, claims surfaced that several suppliers increased the prices of eggs to as high as 60 sen per tray following an egg shortage.

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