Felda has never cheated settlers, says chairman

Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad says the federal land development authority did not cheat settlers in a land scheme. – The Malaysian Insider pic, April 24, 2015. 

Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad today denied the opposition’s remark that it cheated settlers in the land scheme by imposing a high payment for its second-generation housing project.

He said the Felda community should accept that no comfortable house could be built at a cost of RM90,000.

"We have no intention of cheating the people over the issue of house. But we must accept the fact that with RM90,000, we cannot built a comfortable house," he told reporters after officiating a ground-breaking ceremony for Dewan Semai Bakti in Felda Keratong 10, Rompin, today.

In 2013, Felda allocated RM1.4 billion to build 20,000 units of affordable homes nationwide in five years to enable the second generations to own homes.

Meanwhile, Pahang PAS deputy commissioner Nasrudin Hassan said in Muadzam Shah that the second-generation Felda houses would be among the main issues for the party campaign machinery at Rompin by-election.

"The issue of houses for the second generation is still pending. The voters in the area are disillusioned as after so long the houses which were promised to them are not forthcoming," he said.

As Rompin had 14 Felda land schemes, the issue of second generation Felda houses, was close to the hearts of voters in the areas, he said.

Nasrudin said national issues would also be delved into by the PAS campaign machinery including the goods and services tax (GST) by using the slogan “one vote for PAS, one vote against GST”.

PAS would also use the strategy to approach civil servants and local leaders in the effort to reap their votes for the opposition candidate, he said.

Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Hasan Arifin is challenged by PAS candidate Nazri Ahmad to fill the vacancy left by Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis who died in a helicopter crash in Semenyih, Selangor, on April 4.

Early voting would be on April 30 and full polling would be on May 5. – Bernama