KUALA LUMPUR: Fewer than four in 10 eligible Sarawak smallholders have been approved for the RM400 monthly Budi Agri-Komoditi aid since it was extended to the state in June, says the Plantation and Commodities Ministry.
As of Sept 8, 35,676 of the 95,883 smallholders identified as eligible, or 37.2%, had been approved, the ministry said in a written parliamentary reply to Datuk Dr Richard Rapu (GPS-Betong), who asked about approvals by sector.
Pepper farmers lagged furthest behind, with 10,655 of 38,053 eligible smallholders approved, or about 28%.
Among oil palm smallholders, 17,479 of 37,631 were approved. Rubber recorded 7,310 approvals out of 19,644, while 232 of 555 cocoa smallholders were approved.
"The ministry notes that many smallholders have yet to submit applications for the aid, despite various efforts by the government," it said.
The ministry said it had set up an operations room and a hotline through its agencies. It will keep holding outreach sessions with registration counters to help smallholders apply in person.
It said field officers, including its oil palm advisers, had been deployed in Sabah and Sarawak to help with applications.
Officials have also discussed with the Finance Ministry how the aid could be delivered through the ministry's agencies in both states, it added.
The cash aid, which comes with the retargeting of diesel subsidies, has been given to eligible smallholders in Sabah and Sarawak since June 22.
