JOHOR BARU, Feb 15 — The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry will maintain the subsistence allowance for fishermen and subsidy assistance to farmers, Datuk Salahuddin Ayub said.

The minister said the programmes will remain despite lower allocations to his ministry.

"Only when I took over the ministry on 21 May last year, I requested my officials to conduct a whitening process of the two groups

"This is because there were misleading facts and statistics about the actual amount that both farmers and fishermen are supposed to receive,” said Salahuddin after attending a Chinese New Year celebration organised by SWM Environment Sdn Bhd at the Amitabha Malaysia in Taman Tasek here today.

The Pulai MP said his ministry has not stopped or reduced the aid for either programme, but only took measures to better provide assistance and to targeted groups.

In November last year, Salahuddin said screening would be conducted to ensure only those eligible received the aid.

*A previous version of this story contained an error which has since been corrected.