by BERNAMA

BATU Pahat MP Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon (picture) admitted that he was the man in the viral video taken at a durian orchard.

However, Mohd Rashid explained that his presence there was solely to listen to the problems of the durian farmers.

The Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker also apologised for the confusion over when the incident in the video had taken place.

“I often received complaints from smallholders, including vegetable and fruit farmers, who are facing difficulties in selling their produce and decline in sales.

“After watching it, one of the clips that went viral yesterday was my visit to a durian kampung orchard run by local farmers,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Mohd Rashid said he only had the chance to analyse the video after his audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Tuesday.

He explained that Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin happened to visit Batu Pahat on the same day and he gifted durians to her entourage to take home.

Mohd Rashid, who promised to give his full cooperation to the police over the matter, said after Zuraida’s entourage left, he was taken to the orchard by one of the farmers to listen to their problems and discuss further.

“When I arrived at the orchard, the owner served us (durians). I had a little bit while discussing with the farmers on assistance that can be channelled,” he said, adding that after the discussion ended, he left the programme early as he had to return to Kuala Lumpur.