Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu has called for evidence to determine how Malaysian government-subsidised fertiliser ended up in Thailand, where authorities suspect it was intended for bomb-making.
He said the ministry views the matter seriously but stressed that smuggling does not fall under its jurisdiction and should be investigated by the relevant enforcement agencies.
“The ministry's responsibility is to ensure that the subsidy programme and supply chain are implemented through the designated channels for eligible paddy farmers,” he said.
Mohamad also cautioned that the presence of the National Farmers Organisation (Nafas) logo or Federal Government Paddy Fertiliser Scheme (SBPKP) markings on the sacks did not, by itself, prove the involvement of any party in smuggling.
"The ministry does not want to pre-empt the investigation. Who took the fertiliser out of the country and how it ended up in Thailand must be determined based on facts and evidence," he said, adding that the ministry will provide its full cooperation.
He also said that if there is any leakage in the distribution chain, action will be taken and improvements will be made.
Mohamad's press secretary shared his talking points with Malaysiakini from a press conference earlier today, after a request for his comments.
Bomb-making suspicions
His response follows an Utusan Malaysia report this morning that Thai authorities seized Malaysian government-subsidised fertiliser amid suspicions it was intended for bomb-making.
The fertiliser in question was reportedly supplied under SBPKP and provided by a Nafas subsidiary.
The report said about 520kg of urea fertiliser was seized during an operation in the Koh Sathon subdistrict next to the Malaysia-Thai border last Friday.
Utusan Malaysia cited photos of sacks bearing a Malaysian emblem and the words “Federal Government Paddy Fertiliser Scheme”, as well as the unnamed subsidiary’s logo.
The report quoted an unnamed source from Thailand’s Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 saying 26 sacks of urea fertiliser from Malaysia were found. A suspect in his 40s was detained while transporting the fertiliser.
“Each sack weighs 20kg. Checks found that the suspect had previously been detained for questioning in connection with a security case in 2012.
“We believe the urea fertiliser was intended to be used by separatist groups as one of the components in making IEDs (improvised explosive devices),” the source said.
The source said the operation prevented a more serious incident, as southern Thailand has experienced dozens of attacks and bomb blasts in recent weeks.
Making profit
On Oct 31 last year, Utusan Malaysia reported that Thai authorities revealed that urea fertiliser was among the materials used to make bombs in attacks in southern Thailand.
The report said individuals or syndicates supplying urea fertiliser to Thailand can make profits of up to 100 percent.
Quoting an unnamed source among paddy farmers, the report said those selling the fertiliser to Thailand obtained it in bulk in Malaysia before repackaging it and supplying it to the neighbouring country at a significantly higher price.
“They buy the fertiliser in large quantities at RM2,450 per metric tonne and sell it in Thailand for about RM5,700 per metric tonne.
“They make more than RM3,000 in profit per metric tonne, and the quantities shipped are usually large, sometimes amounting to tens of metric tonnes,” the source said, adding that supply activities had been detected over the past year.
Each shipment to Thailand is believed to involve about 10 metric tonnes, with the source saying the trade is also affecting fertiliser availability in Malaysia and driving up prices. - Mkini
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