KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 2): Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) said today Malaysia's food security policy formulation needs to consider nutrition and safety factors to ensure healthy diversified diets for the people.

KRI is sponsored by Malaysia sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

KRI senior advisor Professor Dr Jomo Kwame Sundaram (pictured) said as the nation's population is projected to rise to 41.5 million people by 2040, ministries and government agencies should approach food security issues in an integrated fashion.

"We need to re-examine what the priority or policy should be. We also have to think about farmer welfare and put the needs of the consumers first," Jomo said here today during a KRI panel discussion on Malaysia's food security.

According to the Statistics Department, Malaysia's population in 2019 is estimated at 32.6 million people. The total population comprises 29.4 million citizens and 3.2 million non-citizens, the department said in a statement dated July 15, 2019.

Today, KRI said in its presentation that the country is facing a "double burden" of malnutrition with rising prevalence of obesity as well as high levels of stunting.

There are also other issues like micronutrient deficiencies, which lead to anaemia in women, it said.

On food safety, KRI said lax enforcement of existing regulations affects the people's health and the country's food-export reputation.

It noted the rise in antimicrobial resistance due to excessive use of antibiotics in food production. KRI said the rise in antimicrobial resistance may lead to more infections and ineffective treatments in humans.

Furthermore, excessive pesticide usage contaminates food and threatens the food producers' health, KRI said.