Rohingya ‘towkays’ running padi fields, claims BN MP

 

Rohingya nationals are managing padi fields across the country, a Barisan Nasional MP says.

KUALA LUMPUR: A Barisan Nasional MP today raised concerns over the Rohingya community becoming padi and rice “towkays” in the country.

Salim Sharif (BN-Jempol) said the director-general of the agriculture and food industries ministry had so far tracked more than 200 Rohingya nationals managing padi fields across the country.

“These Rohingya are becoming padi towkays. In a few years, it is likely that they may end up controlling more padi fields,” he said when debating the Supply Bill 2022 at the committee stage today.

Salim said this was also happening in his constituency as local residents were not keen to work in padi fields and would rather allow Rohingya nationals to manage them.

He urged the ministry to implement measures to check the situation to prevent foreigners from monopolising the padi and rice sector in the country.

Wong Hon Wai (PH-Bukit Bendera) also spoke on the price of vegetables when debating on the allocations for the ministry for next year.

He said consumer associations and the public had complained about vegetable prices surging by as high as 200%.

For instance, the price of cauliflower had doubled from RM7 to RM14 per kg, and other vegetables including broccoli, cabbage and red and green chillies had also gone up in price.

Similarly, the price of chicken had also increased from RM8 to RM10 per kg.

Wong wanted the ministry to state the measures it had taken to stem these price increases.

The ministry is expected to give its reply when it wraps up its debate on the Supply Bill. - FMT