Direct contracts OK for Nafas as farmers’ welfare at stake, says Anwar

SM Amin SM Amin Updated 4 years ago · Published on 26 Nov 2019 5:41PM · 4 Comments

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim says awarding contracts to the National Farmers’ Organisation via direct negotiations is an acceptable practice as the body looks after the welfare of farmers. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, November 26, 2019.

THE National Farmers’ Organisation (Nafas) must be helped with direct tenders as this protects the welfare of smallholders in the agriculture industry, said PKR president and Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim.

A contract to supply input material for the rice-farming sectors – currently in the limelight over a tender controversy – should be awarded to Nafas as this has always been practised by the government, he added.

He said this is because organisations like Nafas, as well as the National Fishermen’s Association of Malaysia (Nekmat) are meant to look after the welfare of farmers and fishermen who often struggle to make ends meet.

“Nafas and Nekmat were formed to ensure low-income workers in the agricultural sector can be represented by a national body. It is to take care of their welfare, as they don’t earn much.

“It has been the practice not to require them to bid in open tenders,” Anwar told a press conference after a book launch at International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation in Kuala Lumpur today.

The RM1.4 billion contract in question is to supply fertiliser to rice-growers was allegedly given to another company, following the Pakatan Harapan government’s move to award all contracts via open tender after it won federal power last year.

But opposition MP Wee Ka Siong last week said the company concerned had the contract withdrawn after Agriculture and Agro-based Industries minister Salahuddin Ayub wrote a letter of support to the prime minister, pitching for Nafas to be given the deal.

Salahuddin refuted Wee by saying no decision to award the contract had been made, and that he was doing his duty as agriculture minister to ensure the welfare of farmers was taken care of through Nafas.

Meanwhile, a member of Salahuddin’s party, Amanah, said a senior civil servant in the ministry had “sabotaged” the minister by awarding the contract without the minister’s knowledge.

Anwar today said Nafas did not have the means to supply locally produced fertiliser to rice farmers and had to import supply from abroad.

However, he said the price offered by Nafas was competitive so some profits can be made by the farmers it represented.

Nafas represents some 920,000 farmers. – November 26, 2019.

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Comments

  • Direct contracts are not ok. There are many ways to secure the fatmer's welfare. Only by operating in a competitive environment can the farmer survive the future. Besides the cost to the taxpayer is exorbitant amounting to hundreds of milltions of ringgit. AI must get his act together and stop giving flimsy excuses which fool no one.

    Posted 4 years ago by Panchen Low · Reply

  • The key question is have the farmers progress well and be more productive and earn more independently? Nafas has failed to help the farmers to learn to be productive and thus burden the country. There are reported 48 wrong doings within Nafas with some require MACC and Police to step in to investigate abuse of power and funding. What help u r talking about Mr Anwar? Help in the true effective way. NOT giving baja, ubat , benih FOC and yet the padi yield is shitty. How can the farmers be progressive like Nafas way? Everything is free, for sure can cari makan. Again this is a wrong way to bring up the farmers. Tan Sri, this time , don't refuse to learn the correct way and means to ensure the farmers live with Maruah. Not everyone begging for subsidy, the govt can't beat the cost and the farmers becomes lazy and unproductive. They always think govt will give them everything FOC to plant padi next round. The country will die naturally.

    Posted 4 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • Where do you draw the line friend? Dont ever touch tender protocols. Because once you make an exception to one association, then all other associations will be queuing to capitalise in the opportunity.
    If you want to help farmers association or any other association, establish annual government grants where the monies can be invested in sustainable initiatives

    Posted 4 years ago by Kampung Boy · Reply

  • Farmer need fertilisers NOT contracts! Get it right.

    What's the point of a new government when all you are going to do is pander to the few little napoleons that can control the unlearned!

    Posted 4 years ago by CS Lee · Reply