SERIAN: Democratic Action Party (DAP) Serian branch chairman Edward Andrew Luwak revealed that he has received a report from a former local community leader complaining that over 40 of the padi planters from a certain zone in Kampung Koran were denied the 2019 padi fertiliser subsidy scheme.
According to Edward, Louis Lamit reported the matter to him recently as Louis was angry that out of more than 100 applications submitted, around 70 were approved and over 40 rejected.
Louis also claimed that their application for the subsidy was endorsed by the Penghulu of the area, he said.
“Louis also claimed that he had checked with the government agency that processed their application and he claimed that the agency had indicated that the present community leader had meddled in the matter. The subsidy seemed to have only supported his family members, relatives and friends,” added Edward.
Edward also commented that what annoyed Louis even more was that some of those whose applications were approved were not padi planters and Louis also claimed that the community leader seemed to be ignorant of the objective of the subsidy – which is to assist padi planters so that they meaningfully contribute to production of padi which could lessen the country’s dependency on imported rice.
Louis thus appealed to the relevant authorities to re-look and re-evaluate the applications for padi fertiliser subsidy submitted by Kampung Koran Empaneg, Edward said.