He said the appointments were not politically motivated, adding that they would be working together with experts in carrying out their duties.

“The appointments were made after considering their reputation and involvement in the community.”

For example, they need to know the problems faced by padi farmers and fishermen before taking up a related post, he told Sinar Harian.

Yesterday, Mohamad had announced the appointment of Amanah vice-president Mahfuz Omar, who is the former Pokok Sena MP, as the chairman of the Farmers’ Organization Authority.

Others appointed chairmen were Amanah’s former Perak deputy speaker Aminuddin Zulkipli to the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, DAP member and former Paloh assemblyman Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali to the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM), and former Kuala Kedah MP Azman Ismail, from PKR, to the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute.

Permatang Pasir assemblyman and Amanah member Faiz Fadzil was appointed the head of the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (Ikim).

Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, also denied it was a political reward for those appointed, saying that several among them had failed to win a parliamentary seat in last year’s general election.

The appointments drew criticism from Bersih, which called on the government to put a stop to political appointments.

The electoral watchdog said the Madani government should end the old practice of rewarding party leaders through lucrative postings in GLCs and statutory bodies.