‘Cancel Contracts of Companies That Repeatedly Fail Farmers’ – PM
SERDANG: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government must cancel the contracts of companies that repeatedly fail to fulfil their responsibilities to farmers and appoint new companies.
He said agricultural assistance programmes should not be compromised merely due to the repeated failures of companies entrusted with supplying needs or providing services.
“If companies like these repeatedly make mistakes, cancel (the contract). Bring in a new company, don’t make farmers and paddy planters the victims; (we must) take action,” he said in a speech officiating the closing ceremony of the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (MAHA) 2026 at the Malaysia Agricultural Expo Park (MAEPS) here today.
Anwar said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) also needs to investigate the delays in fertiliser distribution to farmers in Kedah, as the delays have affected farmers who had previously voiced their concerns and submitted a memorandum to him.
He said the government needs to identify the cause of the delay, including the company entrusted with managing the distribution and whether that company has fulfilled its responsibilities.
“We need to know what the cause is. Which company was given the responsibility, have they kept their promises or not? If not, why is no action being taken against them,” he said.
The media previously reported that approximately 40,000 out of 60,000 farmers in the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) area had yet to receive additional fertiliser, raising concerns that it would affect this season’s paddy yield.
The issue of delays in supplying additional compound fertiliser (Fertiliser 3) also drew the attention of Minister of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM), Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, who cancelled the contract and replaced it with NPK Fertilizer Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of the National Farmers’ Organisation (NAFAS).
Mohamad said the delay problem would be resolved immediately, with the delivery of the remaining supply having already commenced last Wednesday.
He said the issue of fertiliser supply delays was not the first time it had occurred, and KPKM is constantly seeking the best solutions.
Berita Harian