SUNGKAI: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today announced a financial assistance scheme to help new generation of Felda settlers to own their first home.
He said Agrobank has agreed to extend the terms of the loan for the Felda New Generation Housing (PGBF) scheme.
"I am aware that one of the crucial issues among Felda settlers is financing for the new generation of Felda settlers to own a home through the PGBF scheme.
"I want to share some good news today. Agrobank has agreed to extend the terms of the loan and offer lower interest rates to eligible applicants.
"An MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) will be signed with Agrobank today to provide residents with a loan facility to own their own home," he said, in his opening speech at the national-level 2020 Felda Settlers Day at Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Felda Trolak, here, today.
Present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) Arthur Joseph Kurup.
Also present were Felda chairman Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu and National Felda Settlers chief Sulong Jamil Mohamed Shariff.
The PGBF was announced by the government in the 2013 Budget speech. At the time, it entailed the construction of 20,000 houses which would be built in five years from 2013 to give an opportunity to the new Felda generations to own suitable and affordable homes.
The project was implemented via the design-and-build concept using the Industrialised Building System method on 2,023ha of Felda scheme land.
In recognition of the country's long-serving settler services through the development of the land, Muhyiddin said the government has agreed to allocate RM200 million to upgrade and maintain the settler's agricultural roads on all Felda land settlers schemes nationwide.
"By having this project, it would increase the productivity of the settlers' production and more importantly, reduce the burden of the settlers' debt over time as they have to bear the cost of repairing roads at their smallholdings.
Muhyiddin said in order to have better education of the settlers' children, the government has agreed to allocate RM45 million to upgrade the Felda Semai Bakti Hostel in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru and Kuantan.
"I hope this provision will provide children with more comfortable homes and further their educational excellence," he said.
The Pagoh Member of Parliament said the government would continue to help produce successful entrepreneurs among Felda settlers.
"Having said this, Felda in collaboration with the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), will identify 15 high value entrepreneurial projects to be implemented in the Felda land area with the involvement of Felda settlers.
"This collaboration is targeting a total of 3,170 new entrepreneurs over a five-month period using facilities at the UPM Faculty of Agriculture.
"I am confident that this collaboration will create new business and employment opportunities for the Felda community, thus increasing their income," he said.
As an initial step towards strengthening Felda's financial position, Muhyiddin said he had formed a special team to handle Felda issues which is being chaired by Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar.
"The team is working to identify the best way to ensure the financial viability of Felda that will benefit the entire community. This team will present the reports to me soon," he added.
Today's national-level Felda Settlers Day was themed "Peneroka Perintis, Berani dan Suka Cabaran" (Pioneer Settlers, Courageous and Love Challenges).
The celebration was held under the 'new normal' due to Covid-19 with only 250 guests, including 110 settlers from 11 Felda regions, complying to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO).
The speech by Muhyiddin was not only broadcast live on television but was also live-streamed at all 11 Felda regions.