The government has decided for its institutions, such as the military, police, schools, hostels and hospitals, to use imported white rice from today to enable the people to obtain local rice.
The government is procuring only imported rice for its institutions to free up the supply of local rice for the domestic market, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
The retail price for imported white rice will see a reduction of between RM2 and RM3, effective tomorrow, said Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol) Food Cluster Task Force chairman Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has asked the council to meet every week till March 20 to look for a solution to the rice issue.
While concerns over drug-laced vapes grow, a blanket ban could backfire by wiping out businesses, threatening jobs, pushing trade underground amid weak enforcement and open tank loopholes