PPBM claims its Felda breakthrough forced Najib’s hand

The Hari Raya payouts to settlers are an attempt to win back their hearts, says the party's information chief.

PETALING JAYA: PPBM has claimed credit for the government’s decision to give Hari Raya payouts to Felda settlers, saying it was prompted by desperation to win back the settlers’ hearts after the new party had broken through to them.

PPBM information chief Kamarudin Md Nor said the payouts were an obvious attempt at buying votes.

“This just means that what PPBM has been doing, going down to the settlers, has apparently been very effective,” he told FMT. “No other political party has done this. PAS tried but failed.”

Prime Minister Najib Razak recently announced that the government would be giving RM500 to each Felda settler family for Hari Raya. He also said Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd would pay a dividend of RM280 to each settler.

Kamarudin questioned the need for the government to “fork out” public money to help Felda settlers, calling it an admission that Felda has no money.

“Felda settlers should get help from Felda,” he said. “The settlers will now realise that Felda has been plagued with corruption and misuse of funds and that the people at the top have been robbing Felda of its money.”

He said he doubted that the payments would sway settlers who had decided to vote for the opposition in the coming general election.

“I don’t think Felda settlers are that stupid,” he said. “Of course, they will accept the money and that’s no problem, but they aren’t so easily bought any more.” -FMT