Why spend RM220 mil on Fama corporate building, asks Anwar

 

Anwar Ibrahim wants to know if the government’s priority is to help farmers or ‘build a palace in Kelaya Jaya’.

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has hit out at Putrajaya over a proposed RM220 million corporate office for the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) under the 2021 budget.

Anwar (PH-Port Dickson) said this was a Covid-19 budget and the money should be used to help poor farmers impacted by the pandemic.

“Fama was set up to help poor farmers market their produce. What is our priority? Is it to help farmers or to build a palace in Kelana Jaya?” he asked, referring to the location of the corporate office.

Taking part in the debate on the agriculture and food industries ministry’s budget allocation at the committee stage, Anwar also raised the issue of controversial land swaps which occurred during Barisan Nasional’s time.

He said the construction of the corporate building in Kelana Jaya was part of the land swap involving Fama in Johor Bahru.

Former defence minister Mohamad Sabu had in February last year said the ministry suffered a half a billion ringgit loss in 16 land swap deals involving development projects. - FMT