Salahuddin to meet Dr M on 2019 Budget
KLUANG: Agriculture and Agrobased Industries Minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub will meet Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today to discuss the ministry’s allocation in the upcoming 2019 Budget.
Salahuddin said he would present current issues concerning the agriculture industry, especially on the ministry’s direction, apart from problems affecting farmers and fishermen.
“I will try to convince the prime minister not to reduce the ministry’s allocation and instead, seek more funds.
“This is because the ministry’s new direction, the framework of which is being drafted, will ensure that the agriculture industry and its stakeholders, especially the farmers and fishermen, will benefit massively, especially in terms of increasing their income,
“Although the government has initiated austerity measures, the agricultural sector has to progress in order to safeguard the nation’s food security status.”
Salahuddin said this after officiating the Johor Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) Day at Mardi Kluang here yesterday.
Present were the ministry’s secretary-general, Datuk Sallehhuddin Hassan, Johor Health, Environment and Agriculture Executive Committee chairman Dr Sahruddin Jamal and Mardi director-general Datuk Dr Mohamad Roff Mohd Noor.
Meanwhile, Salahuddin said he was ready to meet Council of Eminent Persons chairman Tun Daim Zainuddin to discuss the problem of middlemen in the fishing industry.
He said the issue of middlemen in both the fishing and farming sectors was a ministry priority as it affected the income of the groups.
Salehuddin said this could not be tackled by his ministry alone and needed the cooperation and collective effort of other ministries.
“The ministry has formulated an exit plan for the middlemen. But collective action is needed with other ministries, especially the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, in order for it to succeed.
“The joint committee with the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry will also be continued after this to ensure that the problem of middlemen does not continue to plague our farmers and fishermen.”
On Saturday, Daim, who was former finance minister, had voiced his willingness to meet Salahuddin to discuss the issue of middlemen, whom he said were raking in more profits than the fishermen themselves.