KUALA LUMPUR: Over 80% of the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) New Generation Housing project slated for completion by 2017 is yet to be completed, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Deputy Economic Affairs Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said the project, which was initially announced under the 2013 Budget with an allocation of RM1.5 billion, was supposed to provide 20,000 units of homes in five years.
Up to 2017, Felda has only received RM200 million in funding, allowing the government-linked company to proceed with the construction of only 38 of the project sites, involving 8,314 housing units.
“However, of this (approved projects), only eight sites comprising 1,498 units (18% of the 8,314 units) have been fully completed,“ he said, here, today.
“Nineteen project sites involving 5,082 housing units are still being constructed, albeit at a slow progress, and 11 other sites comprising 1,734 units have been abandoned.
“This problematic sites with 6,816 units are unsettled due to the financial problems in 2016,“ he said, adding that Felda would require an additional RM711 million injection if the remaining 30 project sites were to be fully completed.
Mohd Radzi added that the government was currently looking for ways to revive the project, and is considering working with the private sector.
He was responding to a question from Mohd Shafar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar) on the status of the housing projects for second generation Felda settlers, as well as updates on the White Paper on Felda.
Mohd Radzi said the paper is expected to be tabled in the last week of this Dewan Rakyat sitting, scheduled to end on April 11.
“The White Paper will detail out several matters pertaining to Felda, including its short, medium and long-term plans. It will also touch on the issue of settlers’ debts,“ he said.
It was previously reported that the paper would centre around the RM10 billion losses accumulated by Felda since Felda Global Ventures (FGV) was listed in Bursa in 2012.
The White Paper was initially scheduled to be tabled in Parliament on Dec 10, last year, but was later pushed to the current sitting.
