Pn Fought For Padi Price Subsidy Says Hamzah

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PN secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement on the increase in the padi subsidy rate would not necessarily translate to votes in the state polls. (Bernama pic)JELEBU: Perikatan Nasional secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said it was the coalition that pushed for the increase in the padi subsidy rate announced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.
Speaking at a press conference after a PN ceramah in Kuala Klawang, Hamzah claimed that PN was the first to ask the government to increase the subsidy through its Sungai Besar MP, Muslimin Yahaya, at the previous sitting of Parliament.
“The timing (of the announcement) was not right, but I don’t mind because we want to help farmers,” he said.“The farmers also know who they want to vote for because we initiated the push for the subsidy increase.”
Hamzah added that Anwar’s announcement yesterday would not necessarily translate to votes in the state polls.
However, he stressed that the farmers were entitled to vote as they wished.
On Tuesday, Anwar announced an increase to the padi price subsidy scheme (SSHP) rate from RM360 to RM500 per tonne on all padi produced. The increased rate takes effect from today.
Anwar said with the increase, padi farmers would receive at least RM1,700 per tonne for the padi they produced, which was the “biggest increase in history”.
Meanwhile, Hamzah said PN was on track to win in five of the six states which go to the polls on Saturday. - FMT

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