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Tun Dr Mahathir is visually and vocally active again advocating to topple yet another government not to his preference for reasons obvious to all and many.
Mahathir met Isham Jalil few weeks ago and likely to have recruited him into his fold since Isham was caught in discussion publicly with his henchman Khairuddin Abu Hasan and admitted to have met him several times. His criticism of UMNO was in unison with Mahathir and certain PAS leader. However, the go-between man between him and Mahathir is someone else.
The latest development surrounding Isham gives the impression Najib is cooperating with Mahathir, but that is affirmatively not true and in contradiction.
It is also not true the Mahathir's claim that Najib was involved in the Sheraton Move to topple the Pakatan Harapan government he led and instilled Muhyiddin as Prime Minister. He made the claim in The Star interview last year October leading to GE15th in November.
In the interview, he claimed Najib and Pakatan Harapan is uninterested to look into the affair of the Malays and since the interview, Mahathir moved away from his true capitalistic and liberal true self to unsheath and wave his past Malay ultra keris again.
Many have fallen yet again to his deceitful intention. Before immersing further into his self serving rhetorics, lets not get complicated and extensive to analyse or come out with examples to come to his defense.
Ask what has he done for the common Malays' wellbeing since participating in the general election of 1969 as indicated by the RM600 per month average earning of padi farmers in his constituency of Kubang Pasu at a time foreign workers are assured a minimum wage of RM1,500 per month?
That is 54 years and compare that with rubber tapper at privately owned estate that earned net net RM800 per month in the 70s!
The Malay Mail Online recently reported on the National Audit Report below:MALAYSIA
National audit report shows nearly quarter of Malaysian paddy farmers earn below RM600 monthly, as rice cultivation programme fails to reach target
According to the A-G report, the majority of paddy farmers, just over 26,000, fall within the income range of RM600 to RM1,499.99, while 15,116 earn between RM1,500 and RM2,499.99 a month. — Picture by Choo Choy May
By Shathana Kasinathan
Wednesday, 22 Nov 2023 3:27 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 — Nearly one out of every four paddy farmers in Malaysia earn less than RM600 a month, according to the latest Auditor-General’s Report for the year 2022 released today.
The report attributed the paddy farmers’ low income to a nationwide failure of the rice cultivation programme to reach its target.
It highlighted that this has impacted the livelihoods of 17,525 paddy farmers who make up 22.7 per cent of the total rice farming population in the country.
According to the report, the majority of paddy farmers, just over 26,000, fall within the income range of RM600 to RM1,499.99, while 15,116 earn between RM1,500 and RM2,499.99 a month.
Another 7,582 paddy farmers have an income between RM2,500 and RM3,499.99, with only 11,049 farmers earning an average income exceeding RM3,500 monthly.
Despite the substantial number of paddy farmers, the audit report indicated that the set targets for rice production, rice productivity per hectare, and the income of paddy farmers have not been met.
Based on the 2021 Rice and Rice Industry Statistics Basic Information, the net income of paddy farmers per hectare of rice production at RM629.76 per month.
“To surpass the national poverty line income of RM2,208, paddy farmers need to cultivate at least 3.6 hectares of paddy land.
“The paddy farmers' monthly income target is also low compared to the country's poverty line income and this could be one of the factors that young people are less interested in being active in the agricultural sector, especially rice cultivation,” the A-G said in the report.
The audit report also said that management inefficiencies also plague the program, with areas designated for paddy planting still awaiting gazettement, leading to a reduction in planting areas in four granary regions.
Insufficient supplies of basic paddy seeds have resulted in the use of unrecognised seeds, delayed fertiliser deliveries, and reliance on private machinery services.
Constraints in allocation had also hindered irrigation and drainage maintenance, adversely impacting rice productivity.
The audit report also questioned the efficiency, effectiveness, and prudence of the program's management in achieving objectives related to increasing rice and paddy production, rice cultivation productivity, and reaching Malaysia’s self-sufficient level target for rice production of 73.8 per cent in 2022 and 80 per cent by 2030.
The national auditors also called for efforts to enhance the monthly income of rice farmers to an average of RM3,500 in granary areas and RM2,500 in non-granary areas by 2030.
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Mahathir cannot claim ignorance and use his Monopoly get out of jail card with his usual excuse, "Saya tak tau ..." because for reasons considered an open corporate secret to in-the-know observers, he has a keen interest in the corporate businesses of Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary.
Mahathir have been dead silent when BERNAS was given the go ahead to charge imported rice at higher than the fix price for local rice of RM26 per 10 kg. Maybe it is because the rice sold had been purchase from Vietnam and Pakistan had at a long term pre-set price but sold to the national stockpile at current market price.
Mahathir was not silent when Syed Mokhtar was implicated in the AMLA charges against Muhyiddin for RM195 million received by BERSATU from Syed Mokhtar's foundation. There was no issue of Al Bokhary Foundation tax exemption status withdrawn by Lim Guan Eng claimed by Muhyiddin because he has vehemently denied and sued for the remark.
What happened was BERNAS concession was extended for 10 years under Perikatan Nasional which conveniently happen during Ismail Sabri's Prime Ministership.
Mahathir's silent has been to the extent that it deafening that no comment is made on the conflict of interest of the Director General of Unit Kawal Selia Beras to regulate, control and monitor rice for the Ministry of Agriculture is a Board of Member of BERNAS and being paid fee. Whose interest will he serve as priority: BERNAS or public and national interest?
Hope Mahathir will not be silent and be the spokesman for BERNAS to answer MADA Chairman, Dr Ismail Salleh assertion that the current rice supply and padi seeds crises would not have arise had BERNAS fulfills the 10 obligation stipulated in the concession agreement.
BERNAS have been issuing dividends by the billions to take money out from the company thanhaving it ploughed back into the food security commitment for rice for the country under its charge!
Mahathir will not owned up to his wrongdoings and negligence to usually blame others. Malaysians will not be surprise if he will blame it on the Malays and commit the same offense that recently got a Cambodian immigrant charged in court for breaking a law to abuse the multimedia for defamation and vulgarity.
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