rice An opposition motion to debate the drastic price hike of rice will be heard by the Dewan Rakyat later this afternoon.

The house this morning allowed an application by Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) to debate the motion for an hour at 4.30pm.

The debate comes at a time when the cost of rice, a staple food for the country's 27 million people, continues to surge. A popular brand shot up to RM29.39 for a 10 kilo bag this week from about RM20 in January.

"The price of rice in Malaysia is lower by at least three ringgit per kilogramme compared to Thailand and Indonesia, and much lower compared to Singapore," however said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Abdul Samad yesterday .

[Full report to follow]