KUALA LUMPUR, Regular comprehensive nationwide inspections of rice factories, as well as stricter law enforcement should be implemented by the authorities to avoid rice-hoarding activities, which have led to a shortage of supply in the market.

Crime analyst Shahul Hamid Abdul Rahim said that enforcement is not only the responsibility of the Paddy and Rice Regulatory Authority (KPB) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, but other enforcement agencies also need to carry out monitoring and enforcement because rice-hoarding activities can be considered an act of treason against the people.

He said this is because rice is the staple food of Malaysians and the act of hoarding rice for personal gain is unlawful.

"In addition, strict legal action such as imprisonment, (heavier fines) including whipping can be implemented as this is a sensitive issue involving the people's food security," he told Bernama.

He also said that strict measures, such as suspending the licences of rice manufacturers, could also be imposed if they violate the law.

Sahul Hamid added that if there is a report of a factory hoarding rice, there is a possibility that it is not the only factory doing that.

"(Last Tuesday), just one factory (in Kedah) was found to be hoarding rice. Perhaps, (in other places) other factories are doing the same thing (to wait for the right time to hit the market and sell at a high price)," he said.

Senior Fellow of the Nusantara Academy of Strategic Research (NASR), Assoc Prof Azmi Hassan said one of the reasons why these irresponsible parties hoard rice is to wait for the ceiling price of local rice to be raised.

"... like what happened when the price of eggs and chicken (increased) previously, (it) was due to supply shortage. If there is a supply shortage for local rice but the demand is high, then the government will be forced to raise the ceiling price of the local rice (thus benefiting the sellers)," he said.

On Tuesday, Bernama reported that authorities confiscated 180 tonnes of local white rice hidden in a rice mill in Kedah worth an estimated RM405,000 during Op Beras Putih Tempatan (Op BPT).

Deputy Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) Minister Chan Foong Hin was reported to have said that an inspection of the factory found 5 per cent of Local Super Special grade rice (SST5) or local white rice (BPT) concealed in undisclosed storage inside jumbo containers.

Chan said the case was being investigated under the Control of Paddy and Rice Act 1994 (Act 522) and the Paddy and Rice Control Regulations (Licensing of Rice Mills) 1996.

Chan was also reported to have said that, so far, the OP BPT task force had inspected eight rice wholesalers and six rice manufacturers in Kedah to detect any activities of hoarding rice, changing packaging and mixing local white rice with imported white rice.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency