SUNGAI PETANI: The public has been urged not to rely solely on rice as a source of carbohydrate and to adopt a different carbohydrates as a staple food such as cassava.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said the move could be a good alternative while waiting for the issue of local white rice supply to be resolved.
"If rice is an issue, (we need to think about ) what is the purpose of eating rice… (it is) because we need to get carbohydrates. I think if there is an alternative (we should opt for it) while we resolve the rice issue.
"For example, I have discussed with a few Sarawak members of parliament (MPs) about cultivating cassava as a supplementary food due to its nutritional value and lower sugar level when compared to sugar contained in rice.
"I have discussed (the matter) and I understand it is successful in Sarawak. (Hence,) if we can introduce supplementary food to replace rice, I am sure we could choose to cultivate whatever suitable type of cassava," Johari told reporters after checks at the 'Jualan Temuramah Madani' programme in Bandar Perdana, today.
Present were National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol) food cluster task force chairman Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Syed Abdul Fasal and Sungai Petani member of parliament Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari.
Commenting further, Johari added that the move could also be seen as one of the ways to curb the current rice issues in the country, and to look for ways to overcome it.
He said there was big potential for the people to produce their own food sources and to reduce the dependency on imported food supplies.
"I believe that it is timely for the state government and local authorities to open the doors and allow the people to cultivate abandoned land and plant various food sources such as vegetables.
"When there are ample offers, prices will surely decrease. We must have the courage to try because sometimes, our dependency on food from abroad is high.
"This includes the RM60 billion in imports nearly a year ago and this is a huge amount. Recently, it was also proven that we too can grow our own onions in Perak," he said.
It was previously reported that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had instructed immediate processing and release of all current stocks of padi and rice purchased by manufacturers totalling 140,000 metric tonnes into the local market.
However, Syed Abu Hussin during checks at hypermarkets near Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam on March 31 discovered that local white rice is still unavailable in many hypermarkets despite the government's directives.
