Sarawak Says Make Bernas Irrelevant

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/06/11/sarawak-budgets-rm1b-for-sri-aman-to-challenge-kedah-paddy-fields-aims-to-make-malaysia-rice-exporter-and-bernas-irrelevant/139184
S'wak budgets RM1b to challenge Kedah paddy fieldsaims to make M'sia rice exporter and Bernas ‘irrelevant’ | Malay Mail KUCHING, June 11 — S'wak set aside RM1b to develop 10,000 hectares paddy Premier Abang Johari said - to compete with Kedah as Malaysia's rice bowlRM500m allocated next year and another RM500m 2026mainly for construction of drainage and irrigationAbang Jo requested Putrajaya funds to develop 10,000 hectares paddy If RM1b Swak State will also give matching allocation of RM1b (OSTB : So it becomes RM2.0 Billion? What is the actual project cost?)

target to produce 250,000 metric tonnes of rice a year
If we have sufficient production of rice, Bernas will become irrelevant 

My Comments :


I really have a more simpler, cheaper and really very effective suggestion to make Malaysia self sufficient in rice, to make Malaysia a rice exporter and also to make rice cheaper in Malaysia.
Here are the necessary steps:
1. Abolish the  CONTROL OF PADI AND RICE ACT 1994 (You can read the Act here)
Even the titles (tajuk) and sub-headings of the Act are unbelievably stupid. 
It is a permanent record of the stupidity in this country. 
For example (do read for your self) :

DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR THE CONTROL OF PADI AND RICE
A "DG for the control of padi and rice"? 
What about a DG for the control of Camerons vegetables, papayas, jagung ? Kenapa tak ada DG untuk kawalan Camerons vegetables, papayas, jagung sekali?Because those are all food crops as well. What is so special about rice?And despite having a DG for the control of padi and rice, you have not solved the rice problem in the country. 
Dr Mahathir 1.0 (1981 - 2003) said we will become self sufficient in rice. Failed. Dollah Badawi (2003 - 2009) said we will become self sufficient in rice. Failed. Now 15 years later we are still not self sufficient in rice. Failed.For 43 years they have all failed, failed, failed.
Instead we have JUST ONE rice import billionaire. Just ONE fellow. Kenyang dia makan SEORANG.
Instead rice prices have shot up. 
We are far from being self sufficient in rice. 
The rakyat marhaen are paying more for rice.
Hello DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR THE CONTROL OF PADI AND RICE, awak buat kerja apa sebenarnya? G - ru teloq ke brader ?

And here are more ridiculous parts of the Control of Padi And Rice Act. 

PART III
POWERS RELATING TO ENFORCEMENT, SEARCH, SEIZURE, ARREST, ETC.
6. Authorization of officer to exercise powers under this Part
8. Power to enter premises
9. Power of investigation
12. Prosecution
13. Seizure of padi or rice or any thing connected to an offence


Hello what the hell is this? Enforcement? Search? Seizure? Arrest? Prosecution? 
Hello apa benda ini?  Are you sure this is the Padi and Rice Act? 
This sounds more like the Anti-Terrorism Act.  
Rice and padi are food items lah. 
This is food production. This is not fighting the Communist terrorists or Al Qaeda or Islamic State or Muslim Brotherhood terrorists. 
How can the production of a basic food item like rice be subjected to criminal procedures like SEARCH, SEIZURE, ARREST, PROSECUTION ??


Kenapa lah bodoh sangat? 
What is wrong with you people?Tak ada ke cara lain yang halal untuk buat duit? 2. Abolish the  whole concept of BERNAS and the RICE IMPORT MONOPOLY
Lets take the political angle first. Sarawak Premier Abang Johari has said "If we have sufficient production of rice, Bernas will become irrelevant".

Listen carefully. Abang Johari is a politician. Politicians have to win votes. If Bernas can help Abang Johari to win votes, then Abang Johari will not say that "Bernas will become irrelevant". Obviously Abang Johari does not see Bernas as helping him to win votes. Hence his comment.

And from an economic point of view ALL MONOPOLIES ARE BAD. Especially government licensed monopolies.  The consumer has no choice other than to accept MONOPOLY PRICING.
Get rid of the BERNAS rice import monopoly. Final warning. 


3. Give incentives (tanpa kira agama, bahasa dan bangsa) for the local production, domestic sales and export of rice.
Like the late Tan Sri Sanusi Junid said before, even if people want to grow rice on their rooftops, let them do it. 
ALOR STAR: "Planting paddy on the roof-top?" That was the popular question among Kedahans when Tan Sri Sanusi Junid announced his idea to transform paddy farming in the state in the mid 1990s.


We do not need a DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR THE CONTROL OF PADI AND RICE. 
The government just get out of the way. Let the market decide how to plant, grow, harvest, distribute, sell, export padi and rice.
Give incentives for growing padi, the harvesting, distribution and exporting of rice. Give incentives to all Malaysians. (No need for Pak Arab to come here to plant paddy. Pak Arab dont know anything except terrorism).
Believe me the country will not only become self sufficient in rice but we will become a rice exporter as well. All the suitable lands in the Semenanjung, Sarawak and Sabah will be planted with paddy.

The shortage of rice in the country is because the really brain dead government policies of the last 50 years or so have screwed up everything, including the production of rice.
Some moron decided that somehow, by some weird magic, creating a government licensed monopoly over rice imports and distribution will be a good thing for the country.
WELL IT IS NOT A GOOD THING. IT IS A BAD THING. 
Just abolish that government licensed monopoly. And do it now.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.By Syed Akbar Ali 

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