Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) today denied having announced to Sabah rice wholesalers new prices of rice, as alleged in a viral message on social media.

Sabah Bernas general manager Jasnih Daya said that any change in the prices would be conveyed by the Bernas headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to the Sabah Bernas office.

"So far, there has been no directive on the matter," he said in a statement over WhatsApp.

Jasnih said Sabah Bernas also received a directive from the Bernas managing director to sue the individual who had issued such a statement.

The viral message had quoted the Berasabah chairman as having said that the price of the 10kg bag had gone up by RM1 and the 5kg bag by 50 sen.

-- BERNAMA