AMANAH followed the rules when it came to political appointees in government bodies that are overseen by its ministers, said party president Mohamad Sabu.

These appointees are Pakatan Harapan supporters and necessary to ensure that the administration’s policies are properly carried out without any sabotage, Mohamad said in response to critics of the appointees, particularly organisations under the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry.

At the same time, it has not purged these bodies of political appointees made by the former Barisan Nasional government, said Mohamad, who is also defence minister.

“The government’s policies must be properly implemented and sometimes we appoint people who support these policies to prevent sabotage,” Mohamad told The Malaysian Insight.

“We appoint people in roles where we are allowed to,” said Mohamad, adding that professionals and managers in the civil service are not touched.

Deputy president and Agriculture Minister Salahuddin Ayub was criticised for intervening in the award of a government contract to supply fertiliser for the padi industry.

Salahuddin formally requested the contract be awarded to the National Farmers’ Association (Nafas), a government-linked body that oversees the welfare of padi planters.

MCA president Wee Ka Siong criticised Salahuddin for making the request because it breached PH’s promise to use open tenders for all government procurement.

Wee also questioned whether Salahuddin sought the contract because the Nafas board of directors was filled with Amanah’s political appointees.

Salahuddin defended the request, saying the revenue from the contract would benefit Nafas and by extension, the 920,000 padi farmers under its umbrella.

In his interview with The Malaysian Insight, Mohamad backed Salahuddin, saying Nafas should be helped since it represents more than 900,000 farmers all over the country.

“Nafas has 900,000 farmers under it and 98% of them are Malays who need to be helped.

“Nafas also has fertiliser factories, so to us we should help them instead of other giant fertiliser companies.”

Mohamad also refuted the allegation Salahuddin packed the Nafas board with party loyalists.

“Half of the Nafas board are still Umno appointees. It means we have kept people whose terms have not expired, so you cannot say that all of them are from PH.” – December 6, 2019.