THE plan B though, depends on how far and deep, will Anwar Ibrahim go to rub in the advantage, in a Malay centric issue in which both PAS and BERSATU have been caught with their pants down.
FOR Bersatu's talisman Muhyiddin Yassin, the BERNAS 10 year extension which was agreed under his waych, and READ : subsequently triggered an unusual RM195 million donation to Bersatu from Syed Mokthar hangs like a
damocles sword
ON July 19 2022, then agriculture minister Ronald Kiandee stated READ : The decosion to give Bernas sole control on rice import for another 10 years was made on November 2020 in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
IT is understood if Anwar Ibrahim moves aggressively to slay Bernas, widely seen as a yoke on the necks of paddy farmers, Bersatu will launch an all out social media campaign pinning the blame solely on Ronald Kiandee.
THE Bernas concession coupled with legislations, currently prevent paddy farmers from selling their out put at market price.
THERE is a RM1400 price variance between the same standard local rice and imported rice, meaning, farmers are forgoing a yearly potential top line revenue of RM2.35 billion in absolute terms.
THE government dishes out READ : paddy related subsidies amounting to RM1.63 billion a year.
TO put things in perspective, even when the subsidised are minused off, the paddy farmers potential top line revenue in a free market, there is still a RM720 million a year shortfall, which the mostly poor B40 paddy farmers, are missing due to the current restrictions placed on them.
