MPlantation and Commodities Ministry reviewing agencies' roles for potential duplications - Johari

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Plantation and Commodities is currently reviewing the functions of its agencies to pinpoint any overlapping responsibilities and roles before further steps are taken including mergers.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said that the move is to prevent overlapping responsibilities among agencies while ensuring they remain relevant.

"We are currently studying the potential for agency mergers. For example, if there are two or three small agencies, we might consider consolidating them.

"If an agency is no longer relevant, perhaps we will hold an engagement session with the staff involved, whether to place them in another agency that we feel requires additional staff," he said.

Johari, who is also the Titiwangsa Member of Parliament, was speaking to the media after officiating the 'Jelajah Peduli Ummah: Ummah Bantu Ummah Sejahtera Insan Al-Falah' programme at the Desa Pandan Flats, today.

He added that his ministry will also study the implications for agencies which have retired staff, who will be placed in other agencies if the move occurs.

On Oct 22, Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, during the Minister's Question Time session in the Dewan Rakyat, said that the government had decided to establish a Special Committee on the Rationalisation of Federal Statutory Bodies, including Companies Limited by Guarantee (CLBG), to address the duplication of functions in statutory bodies and government-linked companies (GLC).

-- BERNAMA