PM announces Raya incentive of RM500, RM280 dividend for Felda settlers

He also announced that Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) will be paying out a dividend of RM280 to each Felda settler.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said the incentive payment involved an allocation of RM47.28 million while for the dividend payout RM26.4 million, which will benefit 94,555 settlers.

The Prime Minister also announced compassionate payment of RM400 for mosque chairmen, RM500 for imams, RM300 (bilal) and RM200 (siak), which involves an overall allocation of RM674,400.

"For the major mosquea, a compassionate payment of RM500 will be given to the imam and RM300 to the bilal.

"I want to make it clear that this Hari Raya incentive payment will be made only to all those dealing with Felda..those who do not (settlers who do not sell their produce to Felda), if you want to sue Felda, I am sorry...not included," he said at the national-level "Ihya Rahmat Ramadan Felda" celebration in Felda Sungai Sayong here.

Najib said the government has also not forgotten the 3,625 Felda staff who will be given a special incentive of between 10 and 30 per cent of their basic salary, to be paid this month, in recognition of their contributions.

There will also be an additional incentive of 10 percent of basic salary that will be given to frontline staff in Felda settlements.

"So, this means he will get two payments (bonus and incentive)," he said.

At the same time, Najib announced that four Felda schemes for the Tenggara parliamentary constituency will get allocations, namely Felda Bukit Ramon (RM1.35 million), Pasir Raja (RM700,00), Sungai Sayong (RM2.2 million) and Bukit Besar (RM2.2 million) enatiling the constuction of a 13.7-kilometre road.

The Prime Minister also stated that he had given his consent for Felda settlement roads in Johor to be maintained as per the Malaysian Road Records Information System (MARRIS).

He said his consent was based on a request by Johor Menteri Besar Johor Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin for assistance to manage the roads in these areas following the handing over of proprietorship of land to Felda settlers.

Earlier, in his speech, Mohamed Khaled said there was no longer any difference between Felda settlements which had land proprietorship and other villages in Johor.

"So it is only right that the roads in Felda settlements which have been granted land proprietorship to have the same status as other villages where the roads are managed under the MARRIS system," Mohamed Khaled said.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Datuk Halimah Sadique, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Razali Ibrahim and Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abd Samad, .