STUDY NEEDED TO DETERMINE EFFECTIVENESS OF FOOD STAMPS

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- A study is needed to determine whether food
stamps would be an effective way to help the poor and lower-income groups,
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said Thursday.

He noted that the system of issuing food stamps had been adopted by several
countries, including the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
and member nations, to help the low income earners and the less fortunate.

"If Malaysia wants to implement it, an in-depth study has to be carried out
first to find the best method of implementing social security programmes," he
told reporters after chairing a cabinet committee meeting on supply and price
here.

Muhyiddin said that most countries had adopted a direct aid system using
different mechanisms, including food stamps.

He said the meeting also discussed a proposal to expand the padi farming
area to provide food security to the people.


He said the country was now producing only four metric tonnes of padi per
hectare, and the government was trying to increase the amount to 5.2 metric
tonnes per hectare by 2015.

He wants the Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority and the Fisheries
Development Authority of Malaysia to be more active in the food distribution
chain to ensure best value for consumers.

"We suggest that the farmer markets which are held during the weekend and
at certain locations be made permanent markets," he said.

Muhyiddin said he was also happy with the public response to 1Malaysia
shops, where goods are cheaper than what other retailers offered.