Streamlined TBTP Payments Ease Burden On Padi farmers

By Sakini Mohd Said

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 25 (Bernama) -- The move to cut the disbursement period for assistance under the Padi Crop Disaster Fund (TBTP) from four months to two is more than an administrative tweak, reflecting the government’s broader transformation to strengthen domestic food sustainability and boost farmers’ resilience.

The reduction in bureaucratic red tape has been described as a “lifeline” for padi farmers grappling with rising costs, natural disasters and climate uncertainty, enabling them to resume cultivation without prolonged financial losses.

Malaysian Padi Farmers Brotherhood Organisation (PeSAWAH) chairman Abdul Rashid Yob said faster disbursement is critical, particularly after disasters, to ensure the continuity of crops and livelihoods.

Abdul Rashid, 46, who has cultivated padi fields in Alor Setar, Kedah for nearly 20 years, said challenges in the sector -- the backbone of national food security -- have intensified over the past five years, including higher operating costs, climate change, floods, pests and diseases.

“Over the past few years, padi cultivation has become increasingly difficult. This year alone, our fields were flooded an average of six to seven times,” he said.

He noted that yields previously averaged seven to eight metric tonnes per hectare, but have since dropped to about four to five metric tonnes due to climate impacts and disease outbreaks.

Abdul Rashid, who manages six hectares of padi fields, said PeSAWAH records show nearly 80 per cent of farmers are forced to borrow to continue planting and meet daily expenses.

He cited the major floods in Kubang Pasu, Kedah last November, which inundated more than 10,000 hectares of padi fields and caused losses estimated at RM5,000 to RM6,000 per hectare.

“When crops are destroyed, the entire capital of about RM5,000 per hectare is wiped out. Farmers have to start over, often by taking on debt. That is why the government’s move to shorten the fund’s processing period is highly meaningful and brings real relief.

“For years, farmers have faced layers of bureaucracy. The MADANI government’s commitment is vital, especially as weather patterns have become increasingly unpredictable,” he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said analysis of 25 years of rainfall data showed average annual rainfall in Kedah for the 2020-2024 period was generally higher than in previous years.

He said the increase was more pronounced between 2020 and 2022, and again this year, with the major floods last November among the significant impacts of heavy rainfall along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

“The increase in rainfall is closely linked to the influence of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). The wet phase of ENSO (La Niña) and the negative phase of the IOD both tend to increase rainfall over Peninsular Malaysia.

“When these phenomena occur simultaneously, rainfall along the west coast can rise by 20 to 40 per cent above the long-term average,” he said.

In a related development, Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LPP) chairman Datuk Mahfuz Omar said the shortened TBTP payment period underscored the MADANI government’s commitment to safeguarding farmers’ welfare and ensuring national food sustainability.

He said that prior to the reform, applications had to pass through five approval layers involving the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, the LPP headquarters, state LPPs, agencies such as MADA and KADA, and the Area Farmers’ Organisation.

“The lengthy, multi-layered process affected farmers’ economic survival, especially after disasters. Losses mounted, capital was depleted, and the absence of immediate aid undermined farmers’ confidence,” he said.

Mahfuz said the process has since been streamlined from five to three stages, with LPP working with Agrobank to expedite fund transfers via electronic banking. The process is also reinforced through continuous monitoring by the TBTP Technical and Steering Committees to ensure transparency.

“As a result, processing time has been cut from four months to two, accelerating payments by 50 per cent,” he said.

He added that the reform is expected to raise farmers’ confidence in government service delivery, in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s emphasis on good governance and fast, transparent, people-centric services.

-- BERNAMA