NAJIB: 200,000 FAMILIES TO BENEFIT FROM RICE SUBSIDY PROGRAMME

SABAK BERNAM (Malaysia), Nov 7 (Bernama) -- Starting Dec 1 this year, more
than 200,000 families nationwide will get to enjoy the people's rice subsidy
(Subur) which was launched by Prime Minister Najib Razak here Friday night.

Najib said that through the Subur initiative, the poor and the hardcore
poor, including the Orang Asli (Native People) and the Bumiputera (sons of the
soil) in East Malaysia states of Sabah and Sarawak, would be given vouchers to
be exchanged or to be used to buy rice.

Those in the hardcore poor group would be given vouchers worth RM24
(US$7.05) which they could exchange for a sack of 10kg of rice.

They would be given three vouchers a month, giving them 30kg of free rice
during the period.

"The 30kg will be sufficient. A plate of rice will be enough as do two
plates of rice," he said when launching the scheme near here.

He said that for those categorised as poor, they would be given vouchers
worth RM10 (US$2.94), which they needed add RM14 (US$4.12) more to buy 10kg of
rice.

Apart from the poor and hardcore poor, the scheme will also be extended to
welfare homes and they will be given vouchers worth RM10 a month.

The vouchers' distribution will be handled by the Agriculture and Agro-based
Industry Ministry.

Saying that the government should feel the heartbeat of the people and care
for their well-being, the prime minister said Subur was a manifestation of such
desire to help the people.

"I don't want the people to be burdened by the issue of whether there will
be food on the table, whether there will be uniform for the children to go to
school, or whether the roof of their house is leaking," he said.

Najib said Subur was a fine example of the how the government provided
assistance to the people.

He said that the government had also provided various assistance such as
subsistence allowance for fishermen worth RM200 a month, the sale of 45,000
units under the people's housing programme for RM35,000 each and increasing the
allocation for loan facilities.

Najib said that there should be no doubt of ruling Barisan Nasional's
commitment to champion the people's cause.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Noh Omar, who was present at
the event, said the programme would ensure that the rice subsidy would reach its
target group.
-- BERNAMA