KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has requested for the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry to suspend the ST15 Rice Production Subsidy Programme meant to help low-income earners to purchase rice.
PAC chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said it call for the suspension until a new standard operating procedure is in place to ensure that the ST15 rice reach the targeted group.
“PAC found that the program was unsatisfactory,” he said when met at Parliament today.
He said the programme had started since 2008 and as of last year, the ministry received RM528million subsidy given to 895 rice wholesalers.
Jazlan said it involves the supply of 60,000 metric tonne of rice, where 40,000 metric tonne was for Peninsular of Malaysia and 20,000 metric tonne for Sabah and Sarawak.
“There was no monitoring to ensure that the rice was distributed to shops that cater to low-income earners or sold to the targeted group if it was sold at hypermarket,” he said.