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Clearing the air on the FTA negotiations during RTM 1’s "60 Minutes with a Minister" programme here today, Rafidah said criticisms by several parties with their own agenda had further added to the confusion on the issue.
<P>She said that while some parties were claiming that local
farmers would be affected by the FTA, in reality it was not the case.</P><P>For
example, some people have expressed concerns that there will be an influx of rice
from the US in the local market after the FTA and consequently affect local farmers,
but this will not be the case, she said.</P><P>"In reality, our rice production
is not enough and we import 30 percent of our rice and this comes mainly from
Vietnam which accounts for 420,000 tonnes or RM415 million worth of our rice import.
This compares with only an import of 385 tonnes of rice from the US worth RM1.36
million.</P><P>"Our rice is in fact competing with the rice from Vietnam
as the grade is the same, and not with that from the US, which is of a different
grade and caters mainly to the Japanese and Koreans in the country.</P><P>"Our
local white rice costs about RM2.20 per kilo while the rice from the US costs
about RM10.25 per kilo.</P><P>"How can this rice (from the US) compete with
the local rice.</P><P>"Why is this not being questioned?," she asked.</P><P>Rafidah
also reiterated the government’s stance that the FTA negotiations would not jeopardise
the country’s interest.</P><P>"We want the people to have the trust that
this government is responsible. We have underlined the three areas that would
not be compromised, namely policies related to the rights of Bumiputeras, the
government’s absolute right in the implementation of policies and any other matters
that the government has the right to implement such as its socio economic objectives,"
she said.</P><P>She also said the officers appointed as negotiators had thorough
knowledge and understanding of the issues at hand and would ensure that the interest
of the people and the country are given the main consideration during negotiations.
— BERNAMA</P><P><I>Source: http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_business.php?id=252369</I>
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