ROMPIN, July 3 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is expected to announce a new Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) initiative at the national-level of the Felda Settlers’ Day celebration to be held at Felda Selancar 3 in Muadzam Shah here on Sunday.
Felda director-general Datuk Othman Omar said the announcement of the initiative was hoped to enable settlers to generate more income and to stop them from relying heavily on oil palm with unpredictable prices.
“We hope the settlers are working on a slightly different method from the past via the long-term lease method and getting involved in cash crops cultivation,” he said when visiting the venue here today.
He said long-term leases were seen as benefiting the settlers, especially those who were old because Felda would replant the crops without the settlers having to obtain loan for replanting purposes.
He said there were more than 70 per cent of settlers aged 56 and above with some of them had problems pertaining to the land as their children migrated to the city to find jobs.
Othman said the cash crops could yield revenues up to five to 10 times and possibly more if they were cultivated using sophisticated technology compared to oil palm.
He said Economic Affairs Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali was expected to attend the event.
The Prime Minister was also scheduled to announce the winner of the Felda village excellence award for 2018 which offered cash prize of RM1 million, he said.
Some 10,000 settlers were expected to attend the celebration and participate in various activities lined-up including cooking demonstrations from famous chef Datuk Redzuawan Ismail or Chef Wan. — Bernama
