Food security fund programme missed objectives, A-G's report finds

The Auditor-General's Report for the Year 2021 Series 2 has found that although 78% of projects under the Food Security Fund Programme of the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package were successfully completed, the programme did not achieve its set objectives.

According to the report, the projects under the programme with an allocation of RM190 million could not be fully achieved as a portion of the 1,248 projects were still in the implementation phase or did not start until the end of 2021, affecting the revenue production target.

The report said that procurement management as well as the use of less-than-satisfactory equipment also kept the target group from fully benefitting from the programme.

The audit involved four agencies under the agriculture and food industry ministry, namely the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, the Farmers' Organisation Authority, the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board and the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia.

The report also found that the agencies did not achieve the targets for the production and receipt of incentives set during the Covid-19 pandemic period.
 
"In general, the achievement of the objectives of the Food Security Fund Programme under Prihatin, which is to ensure that the food supply remains secure and sufficient during the pandemic period, is difficult to determine.

"This is because the contribution of production under this programme was very small and insignificant to domestic production," the report said.

The report recommended that the ministry monitor the implementation of the projects at all levels as well as ensure that the equipment supplied is used optimally.

The ministry and its agencies were also advised to set indicators to evaluate the achievement of programme’s objectives, including those implemented on an ad hoc basis to ensure their effectiveness.