KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry today seized 3,390 bags of padi fertilisers worth RM180,534 at an unlicensed premise in Muar, Johor.
In a raid conducted this morning at a padi factory in Bakri, Muar, MACC and the ministry’s officers discovered that the fertiliser was stored in the warehouse which does not possess a proper license to store controlled goods.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry has also confirmed that the fertiliser seized was supplied by the National Farmer’s Organisation through a government contract under the Federal Government Padi Fertiliser Scheme.
“These fertilisers were funded by the government and were for the use of padi farmers nationwide. The seizure of the fertilisers is part of the evidence of our investigations and it will be moved to a storage area manned by security for safe keeping.
“The ministry will work closely with the MACC and also the Trade Ministry to ensure any leakages with regards to this subsidy assistance can be eliminated,” said the Agriculture Ministry in a statement today.
“We were made to understand that the authorities conducted surveillance on this illegal activity in the last four months. Further investigations will follow to identify the culprits involved in the sale of fertilisers from the government’s allocation in the black market. Updates will be provided once the investigations are complete,” it added.
The overall seizure of the fertiliser was verified by National Farmer’s Organisation.
Thus far, the son of the factory owner has been arrested under the Controlled Goods Act 1961 and MACC Act 2009 Section 17 (b) for bribery attempts to the tune of RM5,000.
The factory has four workers but none were arrested. Only the statements of the workers were recorded.
The ministry added that it will go all put to an end these illegal activities and return the fertiliser rights to the padi farmers.
“The guilty parties will face the full brunt of the law and pay for their crimes”.
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