Latest news with #Zulkifli
The Star
2 hours ago
- Health
- The Star
Green light hoped for gene-edited rice
Since 2021, several scientists have been developing new genetically edited rice varieties with targeted traits, such as resistance to disease and tolerance to climate challenges like extreme heat and drought. Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) principal research officer Dr Zulkifli Ahmad Seman said they now had a potential gene-edited (GE) padi line currently undergoing the screening phase. He said their research so far had shown that blight would only affect 11% of the leaves of GE padi. Laid side by side in a research glasshouse at Mardi in Serdang, Selangor, the two padi leaves look alike at first glance. But one leaf is almost all yellow, a sign of bacterial blight – a disease that has afflicted Malaysian rice fields for decades and caused losses amounting to hundreds of thousands of ringgit. The other is almost entirely green, save for a faint yellowing at the tip. It comes from a rice line Zulkifli and his team edited using CRISPR-CS9 technology. Zulkifli showing a photo of the padi leaves that are disease-resistant. 'So with the host, the protein (blight) can't attach because of where we have mutated it. 'When it cannot attach, that is where it will stop,' he told Bernama at Mardi headquarters. The line is not just a scientific breakthrough; it is the first GE plant for Mardi and Malaysia. But as Zulkifli's team approaches the fifth generation of the disease-resistant seed, they are coming closer to another challenge: Malaysia's regulatory grey zone. Grey zone Malaysia is one of Asia's highest per capita consumers of rice, but it does not grow enough padi. In 2023, per capita consumption was 76.7kg per year, according to Agriculture and Food Security Ministry. The rice production numbers have decreased from 2022, showing a 4.7% decrease from 2.28 million tonnes in 2022 to 2.18 million tonnes in 2023. According to the same statistics, local rice production can only meet 56.2% of local demand, leaving the country vulnerable to price shocks and supply disruptions. For padi farmers like 57-year-old Puteh Hassan in Kedah, the worsening weather patterns and recurring disease outbreaks have made harvests increasingly uncertain. 'There was one season we were badly hit (by bacterial blight). We lost 60% of our padi,' she said over the phone. Zulkifli's research could save Puteh's field from another disastrous attack. But the issue putting the research in limbo is whether current regulations on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) should apply to GE crops. Unlike GMOs, GE crops do not contain foreign DNA. Instead, they involve precise deletions or tweaks to existing genes – a process some researchers argue is closer to accelerated natural selection. As such, scientists and biotechnologists argue they cannot be judged according to the same standards. So far, the regulatory framework has not caught up. Malaysia's Biosafety Act 2007 governs GMOs but when the law was passed, there was no effective way to edit the genome. The scientists are in a quandary – they are doing ground- breaking work with the potential to help the nation feed its people, but will their GE rice see the light of day? Yellow fields Puteh remembers the season her padi fields turned yellow. Managing her own padi field for the past 15 years, she has seen plenty of bad years. She still remembers when the blight wiped out almost all of her income in 2019. 'I lost one tonne of padi that season,' said Puteh. She had hoped the ensuing seasons would be better but her yields either improved only marginally or got worse. In recent years, extreme temperatures and sudden floods have become more common. On top of that, blight is still there. Bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae, spreads quickly in flooded padi fields and thrives in warm, humid environments like Malaysia's. It browns padi leaves and cuts grain production, leaving farmers with rotten fields. At the same time, farmers are growing less rice. According to National Association of Smallholders Malaysia president Adzmi Hassan, many smallholders have shifted to more lucrative crops like oil palm. He said Malaysia should not just look at technology, it should also look at encouraging padi farmers to grow the staple crop. One way would be to ensure there is a consistent and predictable yield year by year. For two years in a row, beginning in the 2023/24 season, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) had predicted Malaysia's rice production would be below average. The GE padi stands as a potential solution. Until they get more information, these researchers are operating under the assumption that their GE rice will not be subject to the same approval process that stymied past biotech efforts involving GMO products. But still, the fear is there. The scientists remember efforts to conduct open field trials of a pesticide-resistant strain of GMO padi in Perlis in 2019. Nearby communities and environmentalists protested against holding the trials. In the end, the project was shelved. Mardi senior research officer Dr Mohd Waznu Adlyl said Malaysia should follow Japan's and a few other countries' lead, which exempts certain gene- edited crops from GMO regulation if no foreign DNA is present. These countries treat GE crops as normal crops as the gene- editing process works just like natural mutations, only faster. Mohd Waznul says the benefits of growing the new GE variety outweighs any potential risks. He also said the benefits outweighed any potential risks. 'We hope this rice that we produce can somehow help our (scientists) to produce new varieties because there are many issues, like climate change and new emerging pests,' he said. But many see GE foods and GMOs as the same. Third World Network biosafety programme coordinator Lim Li Ching was prepared to start a protest should GE crops be allowed to stage open field trials without any oversight. 'Just because we can do it doesn't mean we should,' she said in an online interview from her home in the UK. While CRISPR technology might work within a plant's own genome, she warned that it could bypass the slow, regulated nature of evolutionary change – introducing traits or gene interactions that might not have natural precedents. She added that even seemingly minor edits could cause unintended effects at molecular level. CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene-editing tool that allows scientists to make precise changes to an organism's DNA. In plants, the process involves several steps, including causing a break or deletion of a DNA strand, and allowing the plant's natural repair mechanisms to fix the break. This method enables the development of crops with improved traits, such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and increased yield. Global GE or GMO While Malaysia grapples with regulatory uncertainties, other countries are moving forward with GE crops. India has released two genome-edited rice varieties aimed at enhancing yield and resilience against environmental stresses. These varieties were developed using genome-editing techniques that allow for precise modifications in the plant's DNA. In contrast, Mexico has taken a more cautious approach. In March, the Mexican government amended its constitution to prohibit the use of genetically modified corn seeds, citing concerns over biosafety and the protection of native corn varieties. The ban just applies to GMOs, however, not GE foods. For Malaysia, the adoption of GE crops like Mardi's blight- resistant rice could play a crucial role in enhancing food security. However, without clear regulatory guidelines, these innovations may remain confined to research facilities. Malaysia has set the target of a rice self-sufficiency rate of 80% by 2030, but without intervention, be it via technology or other methods, the nation will likely not meet its goal anytime soon.
Sinar Daily
a day ago
- Sinar Daily
KLIA Customs officers foil RM2.65 million drug smuggling attempts
A man was arrested for trying to smuggle out 14.65 kg of cannabis buds worth almost RM1.44 million in his checked baggage on a flight to a European country. 19 Jun 2025 08:26pm KLIA Customs director Zulkifli Muhammad (middle) showing the items seized during a press conference, today. - Photo by Bernama KLIA Customs director Zulkifli Muhammad (middle) showing the items seized during a press conference, today. - Photo by Bernama SEPANG - Customs officers have foiled multiple attempts to smuggle 30.14 kilogrammes (kg) of drugs estimated to be worth RM2.65 million through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). KLIA Customs director Zulkifli Muhammad said that on April 17, a man was arrested for trying to smuggle out 14.65 kg of cannabis buds worth almost RM1.44 million in his checked baggage on a flight to a European country. He said the man was subjected to a baggage inspection after his travel was blocked by the Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) due to a blacklist record. "During the baggage scan, the man attempted to flee but was apprehended by Customs personnel. "The inspection found that the cannabis buds were packed in vacuum-sealed plastic to avoid detection," he told a press conference today. Zulkifli said on May 16, Customs found 5.31 kg of ecstasy worth almost RM900,000 that was being smuggled in through a consignment at a cargo terminal operator in the KLIA Free Trade Zone. He said the drugs, believed to have originated from a European country, were packaged and declared as laptop components. Then, on May 24, he said that 10.18 kg of syabu, worth nearly RM300,000, concealed in a consignment along with clothing, was also intercepted. He said investigations into both drug shipments are underway, but face obstacles as the smugglers were likely using fake company names and addresses. "We have gone to the (premises) as declared in the consignment information, but the company either does not exist or is using someone else's address," he said. - BERNAMA
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
KLIA Customs officers foil RM2.65 mln drug smuggling attempts
SEPANG: Customs officers have foiled multiple attempts to smuggle 30.14 kilogrammes (kg) of drugs estimated to be worth RM2.65 million through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). KLIA Customs director Zulkifli Muhammad said that on April 17, a man was arrested for trying to smuggle out 14.65 kg of cannabis buds worth almost RM1.44 million in his checked baggage on a flight to a European country. He said the man was subjected to a baggage inspection after his travel was blocked by the Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) due to a blacklist record. 'During the baggage scan, the man attempted to flee but was apprehended by Customs personnel. 'The inspection found that the cannabis buds were packed in vacuum-sealed plastic to avoid detection,' he told a press conference today. Zulkifli said on May 16, Customs found 5.31 kg of ecstasy worth almost RM900,000 that was being smuggled in through a consignment at a cargo terminal operator in the KLIA Free Trade Zone. He said the drugs, believed to have originated from a European country, were packaged and declared as laptop components. Then, on May 24, he said that 10.18 kg of syabu, worth nearly RM300,000, concealed in a consignment along with clothing, was also intercepted. He said investigations into both drug shipments are underway, but face obstacles as the smugglers were likely using fake company names and addresses. 'We have gone to the (premises) as declared in the consignment information, but the company either does not exist or is using someone else's address,' he said.
Barnama
2 days ago
- Barnama
KLIA Customs Officers Foil RM2.65 Mln Drug Smuggling Attempts
SEPANG, June 19 (Bernama) -- Customs officers have foiled multiple attempts to smuggle 30.14 kilogrammes (kg) of drugs estimated to be worth RM2.65 million through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). KLIA Customs director Zulkifli Muhammad said that on April 17, a man was arrested for trying to smuggle out 14.65 kg of cannabis buds worth almost RM1.44 million in his checked baggage on a flight to a European country. He said the man was subjected to a baggage inspection after his travel was blocked by the Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) due to a blacklist record. "During the baggage scan, the man attempted to flee but was apprehended by Customs personnel. "The inspection found that the cannabis buds were packed in vacuum-sealed plastic to avoid detection," he told a press conference today. Zulkifli said on May 16, Customs found 5.31 kg of ecstasy worth almost RM900,000 that was being smuggled in through a consignment at a cargo terminal operator in the KLIA Free Trade Zone. He said the drugs, believed to have originated from a European country, were packaged and declared as laptop components. Then, on May 24, he said that 10.18 kg of syabu, worth nearly RM300,000, concealed in a consignment along with clothing, was also intercepted. He said investigations into both drug shipments are underway, but face obstacles as the smugglers were likely using fake company names and addresses.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
Cigarette smuggling syndicate busted using abandoned building as storage facility
SEPANG: The Customs Department has uncovered a smuggling syndicate that used a dilapidated and seemingly abandoned building as a storage facility for contraband cigarettes. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Customs director Zulkifli Muhammad said the syndicate's modus operandi was uncovered following a raid on May 22 at a dilapidated building near a residential area in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. He said the abandoned building had been used as a storage facility for smuggled white cigarettes in an attempt to evade detection by authorities, with the structure, in its run-down condition, appeared unsuspicious and would typically go unnoticed. "Following the raid, nearly 1.9 million sticks of cigarettes of various brands and 377kg of tobacco, with the total market value, including duties and taxes, estimated at over RM1.56 million were seized," he said in a press conference today. He said efforts were underway to trace the owner of the premises to assist in the investigation, which is being conducted under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967. Meanwhile, Zulkifli also revealed that Customs had successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle 62,000 litres of nicotine-laced electronic cigarette liquid during an operation at the premises of an air cargo terminal operator in the KLIA Free Trade Zone on April 28. He said the syndicate had attempted to deceive authorities by falsely declaring the product as disposable electronic cigarettes, which do not require an import licence from the Health Ministry. "Nicotine is classified as a prohibited item under Item 4, Schedule II, Part I of the Customs (Prohibition on Imports) Order 2023, and its importation is only allowed with a valid licence from the MOH. "The total value of the seizure is estimated at RM334,000, with duties and taxes amounting to RM60,680," he said, adding that the case is being investigated under Regulation 30 (1) of the Free Zone Regulations 1991. – Bernama
