The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) are working together in an operation code-named Op Jamin to enforce and monitor rice supply throughout the country.
KPDN Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said MAFS's enforcement officers, namely Kawalselia Padi and Beras (KPB) and KPDN enforcement officers through Op Jamin, will conduct inspections at rice manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers either at hypermarkets or retail stores across the country.
"This inspection is to ensure the supply of local white rice and imported white rice is always sufficient at the controlled prices," he told reporters at Giant Supermarket, Batu Caves here, today.
He added that Op Jamin will be implemented for a month and will conduct inspections at 162 factories processing white rice.
In addition, Salahuddin said his office always takes seriously the issue of misappropriation by irresponsible parties who repack or change the label of local white rice to sell it at the price of imported white rice.
"KPDN and MAFS would like to urge all manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers to always comply with the regulations set, including not taking advantage of irregularities such as repacking local rice as imported white rice to sell them at high prices," he said.
Meanwhile, KPB director-general Datuk Azman Mahmood said his division had received a complaint in Selangor and had taken action against the irresponsible parties who raised the price of local rice from RM26 to RM26.60.
"From the arrests, we (KPB) have seized the goods and charged them in court. However, regarding the complaint on the re-packaged rice, no official complaint has been made yet," he said.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency