Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says this move will allow more local rice to be made available to the public.

The military, police, schools, hostels and hospitals must use imported white rice from today.

PETALING JAYA: The government has decided that the military, police, schools, hostels and hospitals use imported white rice from today to enable the people to obtain local rice.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the people can get sufficient amount of local rice if these institutions use imported white rice instead of the local variety.

He said he had informed the secretary-general of the agriculture and food security ministry to find a way to ensure local rice mills send supplies to Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority and Farmers’ Organisation Authority offices so that it reached the people.

However, the amount is insufficient as production is limited, necessitating the new instruction for government institutions to use imported rice from today, Bernama reported.

On March 25, agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu had announced that any government contract involving rice distribution would use imported white rice from today.

Speaking after concluding his visit to Perlis today, Anwar said this trip was significant as his team had sought suggestions from the state government regarding efforts to develop the state and improve the standard of living of its people.

He said he had been asking for input from states he visited and Perlis was the fifth in the series.

“Our focus today was on what projects are being implemented, the existing problems and delays.

“We also focused on the complaints from the people, why we couldn’t address them properly and what more can be done to make Perlis progress, whether in terms of tourism or overall economic development,” he said.

Anwar said despite the Perlis state government being led by a different party (PAS), they have a close and very cooperative relationship with the federal government.

Published Date: April 1, 2024