SERDANG, Aug 12 — The proposed genetically modified rice field trial in Perak involving the MR219 variety is only a controlled test plot and does not constitute approval for the use of genetically modified organism (GMO) crops in Malaysia, said Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (KPKM) secretary-general Datuk Seri Isham Ishak.

He said the trial was intended to generate scientific evidence and data on GMO, particularly its potential role in addressing food security challenges, rather than to allow its commercial use.

“So we are not allowing GMO to be used, but we need to understand how GMO can perhaps in the future provide for food security.

“If we don’t do this (test), then we don’t know. So that is why there’s a test plot. It’s not an official plot,” he said during a press conference on the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (Maha) 2026 here today.

He was responding to concerns raised by a group of organisations who had called on the government to reject the proposed field trial involving MR219 in Kampung Kepayang, Perak, citing concerns over food safety, environmental contamination and increased herbicide use.

Isham assured that the test plot would be conducted under controlled, monitored and documented conditions to ensure that any potential issues would not spread beyond the trial area.

“So test plot is something that is controlled, is monitored, recorded, so that it doesn’t… if there’s any issues with the plot, then it doesn’t spread over,” he said.

He said exploring ways to increase productivity was vital to Malaysia’s food security strategy, as the nation continues to grapple with the challenge of maintaining sufficient agricultural land while meeting the food needs of a growing population.

“So currently there’s a lot of pressure in terms of land use. So there is the pressure for land development for housing, for business, for industrial. And there’s also pressure for us to maintain our land acreage to ensure the sustainability and also food security for a long period of time.

“Agriculture use land is slowly being taken over by development, but we need to make sure we can still maintain feeding 34 million people.... with the current land acreage, can they (available land) fulfil that mandate?,” he questioned. — Bernama