KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 — A total of RM30 million out of the RM60 million allocation in special aid from Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) has been disbursed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) to eligible paddy farmers.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Chan Foong Hin said a contribution of RM250 each to the eligible farmers had been carried out in stages, with the first disbursement involving RM10 million and the second disbursement amounting to RM20 million.

"The first disbursement was for three states on the east coast, namely Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, while the second disbursement of RM20 million was distributed to farmers in Kedah, Perlis, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.

"The disbursement of the aid for farmers in Perak and other states will be implemented at the next stage,” he said during a question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a question from Mohd Misbahul Munir Masduki (PN-Parit Buntar) who wanted to know the reason the farmers in Perak had yet to receive the aid from Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhari, despite the allocation already channelled to the government. — Bernama