LIPIS: Last week when Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali visited Felda Sungai Koyan, here, he announced that new generation Felda settlers are set to benefit from an education financing scheme which will be introduced by March this year.
However, the announcement did not go down well among the first-generation Felda settlers as they seem to be less than convinced and felt there were other more important matters that needed to be looked into.
Felda Sungai Koyan 3 settler Mustapa Ahmad, 66, said in reality, the issues faced by Felda settlers were contrary to what was reported by the media.
"We are not against the government's idea to introduce the education financing scheme for the new generation of settlers but the government is supposed to study what are the actual problems plaguing the settlers.
"The cost of living issue is not something that we are trying to create, this is today's reality and the government has to come up with a solution....the prices of commodities (oil palm) are not stable and that should be given priority," he said.
Mustapa, who joined the Felda scheme some 40 years ago, said most of the settlers had to do part time jobs these days to find additional source of income due to the rise in the cost of living.
He said perceptions that Felda settlers enjoyed a luxurious life and were seen as being lazy was baseless.
"Look at my palms, you will know how hard I work to earn from a part time job to support the family....I have 15 children and the income from oil palm alone nowadays is not enough to manage the family.
"Any government (picked by the people) is the same, we have to continue working hard to earn a living....I leave home daily after performing my morning prayers and even the village headman dropped by at my place recently assuming that I was sick as he never saw me in Sungai Koyan town (due to being busy with work),” he said.
Meanwhile, settler Khamis Maasai, 72, said Felda schemes which was established by the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein has helped the settlers with a promise of a bright future for the first generation of settlers who worked and cultivated oil palm plantations in the settlements.
"Most of us (settlers) are not rich, we do not have lands (before becoming settlers). If Tun Abdul Razak did not introduce Felda maybe until today we would not be able to purchase and own land.
“His (Azmin) proposal is good and can help the new generation to further their studies to higher learning institutions or learn certain skills for their future. At the same time, we must never forget that not only settlers are facing hardship but people around the country.... they must try to tackle problems concerning the cost of living," he said.
Azmin who attended a meet the people session here on Jan 11 said the government was also looking at measures and a suitable approach to assist Felda settlers.
Meanwhile, Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Cameron Highlands by-election M. Manogaran blamed the previous government saying they had created a lot of issues in Felda including the extreme debts and Felda settlers' loans which have yet to be settled until today.