Rice spot check: Akmal's rude show of power
YOURSAY | 'Easy to go after small traders to get cheap publicity.'
Malacca food security exco conducts surprise checks at rice mills
BlackJaguar6029: While Malacca Rural Development, Agriculture and Food Security Committee chairperson Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh's purported aim is to solve the rice supply chain issue "might be" noble, his rudeness is appalling.
As a leader and people's representative, you have to set a good example by being courteous while you do a spot check, which will achieve the same if not better results.
If you, Akmal, think that the factory has violated any law, take action according to the law. Being rude is never justifiable.
Your behaviour just proved that you are not respectable and are just trying to be perceived as a people's hero. Is this what Malaysians are brought up to be?
Just in case your parents have never taught you, when you enter another's home, workplace or business premises, just request with courtesy regarding the activities and inspections that you need to carry out.
The factory is a private property, not a government premise like the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar in Johor Bahru that Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi frequently spot-checks. Do you have the basic intelligence to differentiate these two different situations?
Moreover, you have yet to cover a larger sample size of factories, shops, and wholesalers as well as the supply chain to conclude.
You only picked an unlucky factory that your video even showed their company logo to shame them. Are you being reasonable?
Again, if they are wrong, tell them and let the law/enforcement do their job. If you do not trust your people, feel free to double-check their work.
Malaysia does not need political leaders who are only good at putting up a show of rudeness and "power".
You need to earn respect. Your recent assertions that foreigners should not be allowed to buy local rice are plain stupid.
If you let foreigners enter the country legally, do they not need to have access to basic staple food?
Hmmm: I am not sure what to make of the video. While his intentions are noble, I am not so sure about the execution.
Looks a lot like gangster tactics unbecoming of a leader.
I am sure he must have brought officials from the enforcement units with him. If not, he should have.
If he found any problem with the supplies, he could have just instructed the enforcement officials to either issue a written warning or direct summons.
There was no need for tantrums. We have laws for such things. All we need is enforcement.
J70 Jobless 70ty: The rice manufacturer has his reason why he can't reduce the price as he has to get them from so many suppliers.
Nobody wants to operate a loss-making business.
I grew up in Malacca and planted padi and rubber trees during school days.
But sadly, over the years, so many padi fields have been completely abandoned.
We now rely on other countries to provide us with eggs, rice and many other food items.
LimeMoose1462: A similar story played out for eggs some time ago.
First, there were not enough eggs - then we needed to import eggs (more expensive) - then all the egg supply went back to normal but at a higher price.
What common people see is that the farmers, suppliers and distributors want to increase the price as the cost has gone up.
But instead of being truthful about it, they act out this shortage to push up the price.
Common people have to go through this "sandiwara" (show) for three to four months while struggling to find eggs/rice.
Why put us through this instead of just announcing an increase and keeping the supply going?
Instead of talking about rationalising subsidies, progressive pay rises and so on, please just manage the economy.
If you need to increase the prices of food, do a study and allow a small increase so that supply is not disturbed.
People don't like sandiwara. Regardless of who is playing it out, the people will blame the sitting government.
Anonymous_4702: Some people sitting comfortably at the top and never in a competitive business environment never seem to understand basic economics 101.
First, all private companies would seek to maximise their profits for their owners and shareholders.
Second, if prices are artificially suppressed until very little or no profit for suppliers, there would be a shortage of the commodity as the suppliers either stop or seek out activities of higher profits.
So stop all those unnecessary threats, address the root problem and find a win-win formula for both.
GreenBear5685: Of course, the government has set a ceiling price. Of course, if traders want to sell local rice, they need to follow the price.
However, at the end of the day, it is a business. They have a choice not to engage in business that does not give them the best margin.
If the government sets a ceiling price for e-hailing, p-hailing, appendectomy, tooth extractions and haircuts, and the traders or professionals do not make money from doing these jobs, can we force them to go through with it? Is it not their choice?
Or do we expect them to run their business at a low margin because they need to support the government? Who is going to support them?
Jazz: Easy to go after small traders to get cheap publicity.
I don’t think his actions are even legal. He has no enforcement powers. How dare he threaten those people?
Why doesn’t he go after Bernas, whose monopoly is the real cause of all the problems with the rice supply?
YOURSAY | 'Easy to go after small traders to get cheap publicity.'
Malacca food security exco conducts surprise checks at rice mills
BlackJaguar6029: While Malacca Rural Development, Agriculture and Food Security Committee chairperson Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh's purported aim is to solve the rice supply chain issue "might be" noble, his rudeness is appalling.
As a leader and people's representative, you have to set a good example by being courteous while you do a spot check, which will achieve the same if not better results.
If you, Akmal, think that the factory has violated any law, take action according to the law. Being rude is never justifiable.
Your behaviour just proved that you are not respectable and are just trying to be perceived as a people's hero. Is this what Malaysians are brought up to be?
Just in case your parents have never taught you, when you enter another's home, workplace or business premises, just request with courtesy regarding the activities and inspections that you need to carry out.
The factory is a private property, not a government premise like the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar in Johor Bahru that Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi frequently spot-checks. Do you have the basic intelligence to differentiate these two different situations?
Moreover, you have yet to cover a larger sample size of factories, shops, and wholesalers as well as the supply chain to conclude.
You only picked an unlucky factory that your video even showed their company logo to shame them. Are you being reasonable?
Again, if they are wrong, tell them and let the law/enforcement do their job. If you do not trust your people, feel free to double-check their work.
Malaysia does not need political leaders who are only good at putting up a show of rudeness and "power".
You need to earn respect. Your recent assertions that foreigners should not be allowed to buy local rice are plain stupid.
If you let foreigners enter the country legally, do they not need to have access to basic staple food?
Hmmm: I am not sure what to make of the video. While his intentions are noble, I am not so sure about the execution.
Looks a lot like gangster tactics unbecoming of a leader.
I am sure he must have brought officials from the enforcement units with him. If not, he should have.
If he found any problem with the supplies, he could have just instructed the enforcement officials to either issue a written warning or direct summons.
There was no need for tantrums. We have laws for such things. All we need is enforcement.
J70 Jobless 70ty: The rice manufacturer has his reason why he can't reduce the price as he has to get them from so many suppliers.
Nobody wants to operate a loss-making business.
I grew up in Malacca and planted padi and rubber trees during school days.
But sadly, over the years, so many padi fields have been completely abandoned.
We now rely on other countries to provide us with eggs, rice and many other food items.
LimeMoose1462: A similar story played out for eggs some time ago.
First, there were not enough eggs - then we needed to import eggs (more expensive) - then all the egg supply went back to normal but at a higher price.
What common people see is that the farmers, suppliers and distributors want to increase the price as the cost has gone up.
But instead of being truthful about it, they act out this shortage to push up the price.
Common people have to go through this "sandiwara" (show) for three to four months while struggling to find eggs/rice.
Why put us through this instead of just announcing an increase and keeping the supply going?
Instead of talking about rationalising subsidies, progressive pay rises and so on, please just manage the economy.
If you need to increase the prices of food, do a study and allow a small increase so that supply is not disturbed.
People don't like sandiwara. Regardless of who is playing it out, the people will blame the sitting government.
Anonymous_4702: Some people sitting comfortably at the top and never in a competitive business environment never seem to understand basic economics 101.
First, all private companies would seek to maximise their profits for their owners and shareholders.
Second, if prices are artificially suppressed until very little or no profit for suppliers, there would be a shortage of the commodity as the suppliers either stop or seek out activities of higher profits.
So stop all those unnecessary threats, address the root problem and find a win-win formula for both.
GreenBear5685: Of course, the government has set a ceiling price. Of course, if traders want to sell local rice, they need to follow the price.
However, at the end of the day, it is a business. They have a choice not to engage in business that does not give them the best margin.
If the government sets a ceiling price for e-hailing, p-hailing, appendectomy, tooth extractions and haircuts, and the traders or professionals do not make money from doing these jobs, can we force them to go through with it? Is it not their choice?
Or do we expect them to run their business at a low margin because they need to support the government? Who is going to support them?
Jazz: Easy to go after small traders to get cheap publicity.
I don’t think his actions are even legal. He has no enforcement powers. How dare he threaten those people?
Why doesn’t he go after Bernas, whose monopoly is the real cause of all the problems with the rice supply?
Related:
Big Boss: "I don't care. Be quiet. I'll revoke your licence."
The netizens are showing their ignorance of the Malaysian rice supply chain here.
ReplyDeleteCorrection - rice millers are NOT small traders.
They are part of a very large business network in Malaysia, and most of them are very profitable.
Knowing that many are Very Profitable - I know of None that are operating at a loss - and the chief reason for the local rice shortage is because they are refusing to mill the local rice , to force push the price up makes me Angry.
PM 10s Administration needs to make an example of one or two of them by shutting them down.