Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub in Kuala Lumpur April 22, 2019. — Picture by Hari Anggara
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub in Kuala Lumpur April 22, 2019. — Picture by Hari Anggara

MELAKA,  Feb 15 — The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry (MOA) will provide assistance through the disaster fund to ease the burden of farmers affected by the drought and water supply disruption in Melaka and Kedah.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said officers from the ministry would compile the necessary data and information, as well as to look into the form of assistance to be given.

“The farmers will be assisted through the disaster fund, as we had done in Kedah before for those affected by Typhoon Lekima,” he told reporters after presenting the cost of living allowance to fishermen in Melaka at the Duyong Malaysian Fisheries Development Board (LKIM) Complex here today.

A total of 595 fishermen in Melaka received the allowance, totaling RM147,750 for the month of January.

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Also present were State Agriculture, Entrepreneur Development, Cooperatives and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee and LKIM chairman Muhammad Faiz Fadzil.

According to Salahuddin, the ministry was planning to increase the allowance from RM250 a month to RM300 next year.

However, he said, it would depend on the government’s financial situation.

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This year, he said, the government had allocated RM120 million to be given as cost of living allowance for 40,000 fishermen nationwide.

Besides the allowance, he said, the government would continue to assist fishermen and farmers to increase their income and standard of living through various programmes, including “Rezeki Ternak” and “Rezeki Tani” . — Bernama