THE government must explore alternatives to ensure the stability of the country’s rice industry instead of being overly dependent on Padiberas Nasional Bhd’s (Bernas) concession agreements while moving towards an open rice market, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said.

This was among eight recommendations submitted by the PAC to the government.

PAC vice-chairman Wong Shu Qi said the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry must monitor the Bernas Social Obligation Trust Fund to ensure the distribution and use of funds meet conditions stipulated in the concession deal and trust deed.

“The Agriculture and Food Ministry must ensure Bernas distributes obligation funds on time, in line with the concession agreement,” she said in a statement today.

Wong said the PAC’s decision to hold the proceedings, following the Auditor-General’s Report 2021 Series 2, which revealed a loss of public funds amounting to RM37 million, was because the 2021 social obligation funds have not been received.

This was in addition to irregular payments amounting to RM370,000 for the padi price subsidy scheme for deceased rice farmers, she said.

Wong said the PAC would call up Human Resources Ministry deputy secretary-general (policy and international) Amran Ahmad and Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) chief executive Shahul Dawood as witnesses as part of its probe when it initiates proceedings involving HRD Corp on October 23.

“The purpose of these proceedings is to examine the management and effectiveness of HRD Corp’s programmes to ensure government funds and allocations are managed efficiently and effectively under the set guidelines.

“The programmes and training (HRD Corp) provides will also be scrutinised to ensure funds and allocations given for the purpose of strengthening competence and providing skilled manpower are in line with the needs of employers as well as current industrial and economic trends,” she said. – Bernama, October 11, 2023.