Positive announcement to unravel problems of Felda settlers soon - PM Najib

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today gives his assurance that he will make a positive announcement soon which will unravel the kinks shackling Felda settlers, specifically the main problem of late payment for oil palm fruits.

He said the announcement was based on Felda's strengthening laboratory, which was handled by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Razali Ibrahim, to improve the income and management of Felda.

Other than the problem of late payment, two issues shackling the settlers were the issuance of a large number of statements which were confusing and the problem of replanting debts, he said.

"The issues of Felda are close to my heart. Felda, has 54 Parliamentary seats depending on it. We have set up a laboratory. The laboratory has made a proposal to me and I accepted. Be patient. Soon there will be an announcement and good news.

"I am not forgetting that Felda is a vote bank for UMNO," he said in his winding up speech on the debate on the motions at the end of the 2016 UMNO General Assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here today.

The UMNO President also said Malaysia's good ties with China had profited Felda settlers via his request to President Xi Jinping to buy more palm oil from Malaysia.

"The price of palm oil was RM2,300 a barrel but it has reached RM3,100 a barrel... who profits? 550,000 smallholders and Felda settlers and I want the price to go up further," he said.