Bersatu rep lays out 'to-do list' in support of proposed paddy RCI

Summary

• Bersatu assemblyperson Mohd Ashraf Mustaqim Badrul Munir advances several suggestions for the government to undertake in hopes of bettering the welfare of paddy farmers.

• The Kedah assemblyperson says this in backing ex-prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s call for Putrajaya to establish a royal commission of inquiry and table a white paper to look into issues affecting the paddy and rice industry.

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A Kedah Bersatu assemblyperson has suggested several measures which the government should take to address the issue of paddy farmers’ welfare.

This comes after former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin urged Putrajaya to establish a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to investigate elements disrupting the national rice and paddy ecosystem, and tabling a white paper to scrutinise the matter.

In backing the Bersatu president’s calls, Kota Siputeh assemblyperson Mohd Ashraf Mustaqim Badrul Munir urged scrutiny into structural issues regarding the governance aspect of paddy regulations as well as improved infrastructure to facilitate smoother management processes from planting paddy to rice production.

“This would ensure that the nation achieves its targeted self-sufficiency level (SSL),” he said in a statement today.

Additionally, Ashraf urged for more organisation and clarity on the roles and responsibilities of relevant agencies involved in the paddy-rice management chain to prevent disputes between government bodies over responsibility for infrastructure maintenance or upgrades.

Besides compliance with quality standards and controlled fair pricing for paddy seeds, fertilisers and other input costs borne by farmers, he also said the government should study the floor price for paddy purchases.

“(The paddy floor price should) truly balance the increase in costs (faced by farmers), such as diesel and the effects of petrol subsidy withdrawals and the introduction of new electricity tariffs which are expected to cause price hikes in input costs,” he added.

Attract locals

On that note, Ashraf said Putrajaya should bring the nation’s paddy-rice industry in line with modern times, urging the authorities to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in automating irrigation and drainage - as well as utilising predictive analytics.

Besides that, he said the Anak Tani agenda should be emphasised as an initiative to attract local young farmers and avoid the dominance of migrant workers in managing paddy fields.

“Technological advancements and improved infrastructure, along with increased profits, can attract young people to manage their family's paddy fields,” he said, adding the suggestions should be studied through a white paper proposed by Muhyiddin.

Muhyiddin, who is also Pagoh MP, called for the establishment of the RCI after attending a meeting with the Malaysian Paddy Farmers Brotherhood Organisation (Pesawah), during which he was presented with details on issues plaguing the industry.

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