Najib announces six incentives for Felda settlers (Updated)

PUTRAJAYA: Six special incentives will be given to Felda settlers, including conditional incentives for disgruntled settlers.
Announcing the six incentives today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak called for strong support from Felda settlers for the government to continue ruling and administrating in Putrajaya.
"Firstly, I want to state that these incentives will be given to 94,956 settlers, who fully qualify, whose plantations are managed by Felda or who send their produce to Felda.
"Nevertheless, for the first time, I want to officially announce that we will give an opportunity to the 17,679 settlers who do not send their produce to Felda and those who are suing Felda, to return and discuss with Felda.
"The time given to them to return for a consensus with Felda is within six months starting from August 2017, and they have to fulfil all the terms and conditions under Felda. They will get the incentives if they fulfil these terms and conditions," he said at the National Felda Settlers Day celebration here today.
The incentives are:
»Each settler to be absolved of RM5,000 replanting debt if they replant through Felda;
»Approval to build more than one house on a single title;
»Special fund to absolve surplus of replanting debts;
»Absolved partially of FGV shares loan and cash reward for full loan settlement;
»Special grant for replanting programme.
»RM5,000 cash for fully qualified settlers.
Najib said the replanting debt absolvence incentive involves an allocation of RM519 million in total.
Meanwhile, he said the approval for building more than one house on a single title would encourage a healthy way to build families.
"To date, there are 4,711 settlers, who own two houses on one site, whereas there are 70,506 sites that are suitable for this method.

"To overcome Felda's new generation's housing problem, Felda and the state governments will work together to approve applications to build more than one house at a site. The construction cost will be borne by the settlers," he said.
Najib said a special fund of RM300 million will be created for a five-year period from 2017-2021 to absolve the operational cost debts that exceed RM40,000 estimation.
"This means if the operation cost for replanting is RM60,000, a total of RM20,000 will be absolved through the allocation of this special fund. It will be through approval of the Felda committee," he added.
For FGV shares loan, Najib said this is in line with the efforts for a better administration.
"A total of 77,934 settlers, who are paying the FGV share loan, will have their balance payment absolved at a dollar to dollar rate.
"Whereas the 1,626 settlers, who have paid the loan in full will receive a cash reward of RM1,820. This involves an overall allocation of RM128.1 million," he said.
However, the settlers, who have never made any payment for the FGV shares loan will not be entitled to this incentive.
"A special grant for replanting settlers will be created for the replanting programme from 2017-2020. This grant is approved by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) for Felda at a rate of RM7,500 per hectare. It involves a space of 24,280.31ha with an allocation of RM166.60 for the four years," he said.
Najib said a total of RM474.78 million is allocated for the RM5,000 incentive payment meant for 94,956 families of settlers who are fully qualified.
This incentive payment will begin at the end of August.