Beras Secupak Takkan Jadi Segantang

The local news reported that Malaysia is now facing with ‘beras’ shortage (Read the Utusan Malaysia report on this matter). Though not yet alarming, this issue needs to be expediently addressed by the government so that it will not escalate to a situation as such as those now happening at the Philippines.

 

Other countries are also not spared by this issue. All over the world, the prices of staple foods have risen significantly due to the basic principles of economics; where supply is low demand will be high and price will soar. Though a global experience, the developing countries are the ones that bear the brunt of this problem. The rich countries are capable to swiftly deal with it by increasing supply inflow into their countries, of course by paying more money for food; to satiate their need thus causing shortages to those poor countries that are ill afford to influence the gluttonous thirst of global market.  (Read the New York Times article)

 

Once in Malaysia when the Government under Pak Lah initiates an agricultural development policy (‘Pertanian Adalah Perniagaan’) some dissenting voices and opinions can be heard. They criticize that that policy seems to be backward in nature for a developing country that is moving forward to be recognised as a developed nation. The agriculture industry, in particular staple foods, is usually seen as the bane of development. Most people seem reluctant to be paddy planters, toilers the land thinking that such profession ‘takde kelas’.

 

The agricultural development policy can be seen as one of the best policy made by the government under Pak Lah. A farsighted policy meant to tackle impending woes. Though the policy seems nice on paper, what about its execution? Before such policy was made, the Malaysian local paddy fields cater roughly 60% of the nation’s demand. The rest are imported from neighbouring countries especially Thailand and Indonesia. Today such situation does not seem to change a lot or at all. Why is that? Is it due to failure of policy or failure of execution? Or is it just another ‘cakap kosong, hangat-hangat tahi ayam’?

 

Whatever the reason is, the shortage may soon hit Malaysia and this will eventually cause the Rakyat to face increase in food prices. Already burdened with exorbitant fuel price, this new issue will be a double whammy against the Rakyat and also the government. Beras secupak takkan jadi segantang kalau tiada usaha. Therefore it’s about time that the government, and the opposition, look (and then act) closely and seriously into this issue.

 

p/s: Last week went for lunch at section 2, shah alam. I had ikan keli bakar dengan nasi putih, sedap gila. Mahal sikit compare to dulu. Sebab beras and all those other crap naik harga kot.