KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating if a Sarawak businessman who is running for the Jepak state seat next month has committed a graft offence by distributing raw rice during official election campaigning.

Sarawak MACC director Datuk Mohd Zaki Hassan said a special task force in Bintulu had been ordered to look into the matter, Harian Metro reported today.

"We have to investigate first. I will submit this matter (press report on rice distribution) to the task force in Bintulu,” he was quoted as saying.

News portal Utusan Borneo yesterday reported that Chieng Lea Phing, 62, who is a candidate fielded by the Sarawak People's Aspiration Party, had handed out about 1,000 sacks of rice to the public in Bintulu.

Chieng was reported by Utusan Borneo as saying that he had distributed 500 sacks of rice to those in the bottom 40 per cent income earners, known locally as B40, to ease their living costs.

The global price of rice has been soaring since India, one of the world’s biggest exporters, moved to stop selling non-basmati white rice to other countries as of July 20.

India made an exception for Malaysia on October 18 and agreed to sell 170,000 tonnes non-basmati white rice as a gesture of friendship.

The Jepak by-election was called following the death of its Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) representative Datuk Talib Zulpilip on September 15.

Polling day is on November 4.

The three candidates duking it out are: Chieng, GPS candidate Iskandar Turkee, and Stevenson Joseph Sumbang from Parti Bumi Kenyalang.