Malaysian Coalition Urges Rejection of Proposed GMO Rice Field Trial

Zen Cropscience has applied to Malaysia’s National Biosafety Board for a confined field trial of a genetically modified version of the MR219 rice variety. The trial would be conducted in a net-house on industrial land in northern Perak state and is intended to produce rice tolerant to the herbicide glyphosate and resistant to bacterial and fungal diseases. The board has indicated that cross-pollination risk is low but has not yet set a decision date.

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A coalition of 61 farmers’ groups, consumer associations and environmental NGOs submitted a formal objection during the public consultation. They warn that accidental gene flow could contaminate conventional and wild rice, jeopardizing food safety and farmer livelihoods. Abdul Rashid Yob, head of a farmers’ association representing about 200,000 members, cited the earlier Clearfield rice experience, where initial yield gains were offset by rapid weed resistance, higher herbicide use, and soil degradation. The coalition also argues that the trial could encourage greater glyphosate application, potentially fostering “super weeds” and leaving residues in harvested rice.

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The National Biosafety Board emphasizes that the trial would be confined within an insect-proof net house and far from existing agricultural fields. It acknowledges that toxicological data for GMO rice remain incomplete and notes that Malaysia’s biosafety law lacks clear compensation mechanisms for farmers affected by accidental contamination. The board has not announced when it will render a final ruling.

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Malaysia currently produces roughly half of its rice consumption, relying heavily on imports. If the trial proceeds and leads to commercial adoption, it could alter the country’s rice supply chain and affect import dependence. International agencies differ on glyphosate safety: the World Health Organization’s cancer research arm classified glyphosate in 2015 as “probably carcinogenic,” while the U.S. EPA and the European Food Safety Authority have found no critical health concerns.

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“There is no need for such a trial. We don’t want GM crops,” — Mageswari Sangaralingam, from the Consumers Association of Penang

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