PETALING JAYA: Newly appointed Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil has dismissed a call for a national food stockpile, saying it is a short-term solution.
Isham said a long-term solution was needed and one that was less dependent on imports. “Instead, we need to increase food production locally,” he said.
Incoming PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli had proposed yesterday that a national stockpile be established to curb food supply shortages, after Umno had called for a national body to deal with the chicken shortage.
Isham said Rafizi’s proposal was neither new nor original, as the government had already begun stockpiling food “since last week”.
Rafizi also came under fire from Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi earlier today. Zahid said Rafizi could only provide “formulas and not solutions”.