KUALA LUMPUR: There is no favouritism in the selection of participants or aid distribution for projects under the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.

Minister Datuk Noh Omar said all farmers were entitled to get fertilisers for their farms or any other aid regardless of their political beliefs.

“We only ask that the application forms be verified or supported by the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairman or the Federal Village Development and Security Committees (JKKKP) chairman for Selangor, Kedah and Penang or the sub-district development supervisor for Kelantan.

“The support, however, must be based on merit,” he said in reply to a supplementary question from Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong).

Noh said the ministry had also formed a committee with power to appoint an examiner to ensure that the support was valid and given to qualified applicants.

To the original question from Amran Abd Ghani (PKR-Tanah Merah), Noh said the government would continue to use its own channels at the state and district-level for aid distribution without having to depend on the state-appointed agencies.

“At present, the Farmers Organisation Authority and the Farmer’s Area Organisation have been given the mandate to select the participants and distribute the aid for the projects under the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry,” he added. — Bernama