Social media bloggers claim consumption would overcome Vitamin A deficiency and reduce health risks in children Sivanisvarry Morhan Muhamad Shakirin said it has been 20 years since the last golden rice trials took place and its rollout in Asia was halted by protests and court rulings. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN PETALING JAYA: Unicef has reported 20.7% of Malaysian children under five suffered from stunting in 2019, 12.

7% of five to 19-year-olds battled obesity and 11.5% were gradually growing weaker and getting emaciated. The report revealed Vitamin A deficiency is one of the main causes for the conditions.

Some social media bloggers have urged for the import of golden rice (Oryza sativa), produced through genetic engineering to biosynthesise beta-carotene, a precursor of Vitamin A. The consumption of golden rice would help overcome Vitamin A deficiency, that causes xerophthalmia, which is a range of eye conditions from night blindness to corneal scars, permanent blindness and the risk of mortality due to measles and diarrhoea in children. However, other bloggers argued Malaysia does not need to grow golden rice due to the comparative progress of rice production in the country.

Universiti Malaya Institute of Biological Sciences Assoc Prof Dr Muhamad Shakirin Mispan said the country has not taken any significant steps to grow or import golden rice. “The current rice production adequately fulfils our needs, with 73% being supplied and the rest imported. This means our country.