IF you don't know yet, global READ : are up seven per cent this month, keeping prices perched at its highest level in 15 years.
CURRENCY fluctuations, steeper freigh rates due to trouble around the red sea, el nino weather patterns, are among the factors, that will push up prices further.
MALAYSIANS, should brace for the grumpy prospects of paying much more in 2024 for rice than what we are paying through our noses right now.
SO are any of the reasons above, even remotely valid for us to demand that the Bernas concession be terminated AS SOON AS POSSIBLE? Of course not, but that being is said, Anwar Ibrahim shouldn't keep BERNAS under its present form of ownershp for even a second more then needed.
SYED Mokthar has no problem playing READ Santa Clause To BERSATU by giving them RM195 million for FREE, but guess how much has the tycoon reinvested his own profit from Bernas back into BERNAS or into the paddy sector so that , Malaysia will be self sufficient?
WELL lets work out the numbers that are publicly available since BERNAS which receives a few hundred million a year from the Federal Government won't share openly its annual report.
THE chart above clearly shows that from 2017 to 2021, Bernas made the following profit ; 2021 (After Tax Profit of RM182.25 million) , 2020 (RM170.10 million), 2019 (RM135.08 million), 2018 (RM151.41 million) and 2017 (RM104 million).
TABULATE the After Tax Profits from 2017 to 2021, and we will have a grand total of RM742.84 million over a five year period.
NOW guess how much of that money Syed Mokthar took out to have a jolly good time at our expense? READ :From 2017 until 2021, Syed Mokthar paid himself RM744 million in dividend.
BASICALLY what it means folks is that he has reinvested ZERO of his profits in BERNAS to take the paddy sector forward.
NOW you know why, every year , we are moving backwards when it comes to achieving rice sufficiency targets.
THE problem is not the farmer but BERNAS attitude of wanting to DO BUSINESS WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY while the profits go to just one individual.