Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
KLUANG: The government received more than 66,000 applications for the Budi Agri-Komoditi initiative from smallholders across the country as of Sept 20, 10,000 of which were appeals, says Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
The Plantation and Commodities Minister said the number was low compared with the estimated private smallholders in the country.
“We went to the ground to assist smallholders so that they could share the information with their friends. I have instructed all agencies under the ministry to help them,” he said.
Johari said this after launching the Budi Agri-Komoditi programme with the Kluang community in Kampung Abdul Rahman Yassin, Bernama reported.
He said the ministry had conducted 50 small-scale programmes to increase registration for the initiative, urging elected representatives to engage with smallholders and ensure they do not miss out it.
According to Johari, more than 46,000 smallholders in Johor are eligible, but only around 1,000 applications have been received.
The Budi Agri-Komoditi programme is one of the initiatives under the Madani Subsidy Assistance Programme, which provides cash assistance of RM200 each month to eligible smallholders of oil palm, rubber, cocoa, pepper and kenaf in Peninsular Malaysia registered under the ministry.
