THE fate of approved permits (AP) for the import of food items hangs on the outcome of a government review, prompted by allegations of abuse and cronyism.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Salahuddin Ayub said his ministry is reviewing the matter following claims that many individuals were granted APs on the grounds of political connections and were profiteering from the permits.

“We are re-evaluating the need for the import permit and leakages from it,” Salahuddin told The Malaysian Insight.

Data from the ministry shows that there is presently 297 companies holding APs for importing food items.

A whopping 176 companies hold APs to import round cabbages, while the rest consists of importers for chicken pieces (57), milk (35) and coconut (29).

Salahuddin said the issue of APs is one of the priorities for the ministry.

He said it is to ensure food safety besides minimising bureaucratic problems.

He said at present, the food stock can only last for a maximum of three months if rice imports are halted or war and disaster happens.

“Among my focus in terms of implementation is to ensure that the padi and rice sector in the country can be drastically renewed to ensure local supply is more efficient, as well as to ensure that local meat supply reaches 30% of production,” he said.

Shortly after being sworn in as minister last month, the Pulai MP said he would revive the cattle-breeding business through the scandal-ridden National Feedlot Corporation (NFC).

He said paperwork would be submitted to review the NFC project to meet the country’s meat requirements, adding that he hoped to make Johor the nation’s largest beef producer through livestock projects in Muar, Segamat and Pagoh.

The NFC project was embroiled in controversy when the auditor-general’s report revealed that the family of former minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil received a government loan to run it since 2007.

However, the cattle-breeding project run by the family of the former women and development minister failed to reach its goal.

As a result, Shahrizat had to resign as minister and her family charged in court.

Her husband, who is also the executive chairman of NFC Corp, was, however, released and freed from all criminal charges in 2015. – July 6, 2018.