KUALA LUMPUR – A PKR lawmaker has slammed an opposition MP for suggesting that Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu (Kota Raja-PH) should step down from his ministerial role due to alleged mishandling of food shortage issues.
The dispute began when Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tg Karang-PN) used his allotted time to debate the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2023, during which he criticised Mohamad, who also serves as Amanah president.
“Being a party leader is not a criterion that should qualify someone to be elected as a minister. This is shown by how (Mohamad) appears to be driven by his ministry instead of being the one to drive it. Look at the issue of eggs and now local white rice.
“I’m sorry, but I have to ask Kota Raja (Mohamad) to either step down as the minister, or for the prime minister to replace him with a minister that is more qualified to lead this important ministry and solve our (food) issues,” the Bersatu MP said.
The Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Bill is aimed at ensuring macroeconomic stability and reducing debt and improving fiscal risk management.
In response, Tan Kar Hing (Gopeng-PH) began his debate by admonishing Zulkafperi, highlighting that debate time in the Dewan Rakyat should be utilised appropriately by MPs.
He also said that Zulkafperi’s suggestion was unhelpful, pointing to PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang’s (Marang-PN) then-empty seat to illustrate his point.
“If you want to suggest that the minister in charge of the rice shortage issue should be held responsible (by stepping down), then I want you to see if Marang has ponteng (skipped) today’s sitting.
“If he has, then ask him to resign as well. Is that logical? It doesn’t make sense, right?” Tan questioned before going on to present his debate on the bill.
Last month, Mohamad said that his ministry was expecting the supply of local white rice to rebound by sometime this month, following intervention measures implemented by the government.
On Monday, the minister assured that based on the rice supply stock recorded until October 3, there is sufficient rice supply to cover the country’s domestic needs for the next four to five months. – October 11, 2023