Govt mulls granting nafas tender for supply of padi fertilisers

GURUN, Feb 4 (Bernama) -- The government is considering granting the National Farmers Organisation’s (NAFAS) fertiliser factory, Malaysian NPK Fertiliser Sdn Bhd (MNFSB), the tender to supply padi fertilisers directly under the padi fertiliser subsidy scheme. 

Deputy finance minister Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah said though the award of tenders via the open tender system was the general policy under the Pakatan Harapan government, the government would also consider certain aspects of each tender.

“But that being said, it does not mean that there is no possibility of direct negotiations or a system for direct awards to suppliers, service providers or product suppliers.

“If there are certain needs, for example, in the supply of national defence equipment, we cannot request for proposals because we need to let them know our requirements thus making our national defence secrets known to the public, so we need to go straight to the suppliers,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after visiting MNFSB here today, Amiruddin said the tender to supply padi fertilisers should be awarded directly to MNFSB as more than 90 per cent of padi farmers were members of the Farmers Organisations which are united under NAFAS.

He said products from the factory would be used by NAFAS members and when the factory makes a profit, it would benefit members of the Area Farmers Organisation through the payment of dividends. 

He added that members of the Farmers Organisation were also the largest shareholders of the factory - one of the factors taken into consideration by the government in awarding the tender.

However, Amiruddin said the issue of the padi supply tender award was still being discussed by the ministry together with the relevant parties, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry.

-- BERNAMA