The National Farmers’ Organisation (Nafas) has elected Zamri Yaakob as their new chairperson.
Zamri is the elder brother of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Sources familiar with the election said news reports claiming executive involvement in the process was inaccurate.
In December last year, the government had issued a gazette known as the Farmers’ Organisation (Amendment) Regulations 2020, which allowed Nafas to choose their own chairperson.
The new rules state that the chairperson of the board of directors was to be elected from among the 17 members themselves.
Six of the 17 members are appointed by the agriculture and food industries minister while the rest are chosen during the organisation’s annual general meeting.
“(Zamri) was not appointed but chosen based on his involvement in Pahang Farmers’ Organisation (Pafsa) and National Association of Smallholders Malaysia (Nash),” said a source on condition of anonymity as the person is not authorised to speak to the media.
Nafas is a statutory body that serves as an umbrella for 14 state chapters.
Among others, Nafas’ objectives are to improve yield, supply input and necessities for farms, supply farming equipment, prepare credit facilities, invest member funds and process the produce in factories.
Nafas owns at least 13 companies and reports to the agriculture and food industries minister. – Malaysiakini