RM88.8 million dividend, duit Raya windfall for FELDA settlers

A total of 98,688 FELDA (Federal Land Development Authority) settlers are in for a windfall totalling RM88.8 million in terms of dividend and "duit raya" (Aidilfitri ang pow) which will be paid out by FELDA Global Ventures Holdings Berhad (FGV) beginning July 13.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who announced this Tuesday said the dividends totalled RM59,212,800 while the "duit raya" amounted to RM29,606,400.

"Settlers who are with FELDA are eligible to receive dividend of RM600 and RM300 "duit raya", those not with FELDA will receive neither," he said when opening FELDA's national-level Ihya' Rahmat Ramadan programme in FELDA Pasoh 4 here.

Joining the 5,000 settlers at the event were Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and FELDA chairman Tan Sri MOhd Isa Abdul Samad.

Setters who are not with FELDA are those who did not participate in the conglomerate's replanting schemes or do not sell their produce to FELDA, or carry out land activities without FELDA's authorisation or have filed suits against FELDA.

In this regard, Najib urged settlers to continue to be with FELDA and support all efforts implemented by FELDA in raising their income.

"We need to be with FELDA, do not stray too far away... actually those who confuse FELDA people are those who come to FELDA like pests out to poison the minds of settlers so much so when we do good, the people say otherwise," he said.

He said FELDA has various plans to improve the income of settlers and overcome the constraints of land to be developed as plantations in the country.

He said FGV planned to purchase 420,000 hectares of land in Papua New Guinea which could generate revenue double the amount in this country as the volcanic land there is fertile.

Apart from that, he said FGV was also proposing to buy 37 per cent of PT Eagle High Plantations, an Indonesian plantation company for US$680 million as a long term investment.

"However, we have not finalised the purchase as we must evaluate first to obtain the best price and when we have reached an agreement, we will make the final decision..hopefully it will be made soon.

"FGV also said it planned to enter the Indonesian market to sell various FELDA products including cooking oil," he added.

Najib said if all the investments were successfully concluded, they could raise the income of FELDA settlers apart from strengthening FGV shares.