Malaysian PM says he eats quinoa, not rice
Some claim they had never heard of pricey grain
Malaysia’s scandalplagued Prime Minister Najeeb Razzaq was accused of being out of touch with ordinary people yesterday after revealing he had switched from eating locally-grown rice to the pricey grain quinoa.
Opposition lawmakers lined up to mock the aristocratic premier, who is regularly attacked for leading a luxurious lifestyle at a time that many are complaining about rising living costs, with corruption allegations swirling around him.
Some Malaysian netizens simply responded with bemusement, admitting they had never heard of quinoa, a health food grown in South America that is popular in Europe and North America.
Najeeb, who must call elections by August and is battling allegations huge sums were looted from a state fund, made the remarks during a questionand-answer session at a hospital Thursday about his government’s 2018 budget.
“I don’t eat rice. I eat quinoa ... It’s protein-based, less carbohydrate, less sugar content, so it’s better than rice,” he said, explaining he chose to keep fit by controlling his diet rather than exercising. In the same session, he suggested Malaysians complaining about high living costs should be careful about where they choose to eat, and should avoid going to fancy Japanese restaurants and instead pick eateries offering local fare. Quinoa is sold at few shops in Malaysia and is far more expensive than rice, a staple food in the country of 32 million.