COVID-19: Government needs to establish National Food Security Council

The government needs to set up the National Food Security Council in preparation for a food crisis following the COVID-19 outbreak, Deputy President of Amanah, Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, said.

Salahuddin stressed that the country needed a special council to deal with food issues because what has happened now was unprecedented.

According to the former Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, all countries will face food crisis following the COVID-19 outbreak and each country will only take care of their own interests.

"Malaysia still imports 30 percent of rice supply and 70 percent of meat supply.

"But with the global collapse, where are we going to get enough food?

"Vietnam, for example, has stopped exporting rice to Malaysia, so what will happen if the outbreak continues?" he asked in a statement today.

The Pulai MP is confident that the country's experts will be able to come up with strategies to address the problem.

The total number of positive COVID-19 cases worldwide has surpassed one million cases, resulting in more than 54,000 deaths.

To date, Malaysia has recorded a total of 3,333 positive COVID-19 cases with 53 deaths.