FELCRA disburses RM101.5 million in dividends to 70,856 settlers nationwide

BANTING: F EL CRAB er had (FELCRA), an agency under the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, distributed RM101.5 million in the second interim dividend payout for 2017 to 70,856 settlers nationwide on Sunday. Its minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the dividend is extracted from the income of rubber and oil palm plantations involving the participants’ land measuring a total of 97,280 hectares. “Total income from these two cash crops up to September 2017 was RM819.93 million, while the expenditure for operational costs, marketing services and management fees is RM413.85 million. The gross profit up to September 2017 is therefore RM406.07 million,” he said. “After all the necessary deductions such as repayment of loans to the state and federal government, and payment towards the replanting fund, the net profit is at RM101.5 million,” he said at the FELCRA Interim Dividend Distribution 2017/2 ceremony at Kolej MARA Banting.

Also present at the function were FELCRA chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, Kolej MARA Banting director Dato Tamam Jonid and 500 settlers of FELCRA Bukit Changgang in Sepang.

Ismail Sabri said the income from palm oil production has exceeded that of rubber in 2017. “However, a total of 1.49 million metric tonnes of palm oil was recorded this year compared to 1.60 million metric tonnes in the same period last year,” he said. The decrease in production by 112,982 metric tonnes, or 7.03 per cent, was due to the age of the oil palm trees which was about 20 years. As for rubber production, FELCRA this year recorded a decrease in production by 2,372.717 kilogrammes, or 36.88 per cent, compared to last year, he said, adding it was due to replanting programmes. For this year, FELCRA expects to pay out a total of RM365.18 million to all settlers who will each, on average, receive RM3,000 in dividends for every 0.99 hectares of land starting yesterday.

Ismail Sabri greets guests upon arriving at FELCRA’s interim dividend distribution ceremony on Sunday.

Ismail Sabri (right) hands over a cheque for the interim dividend to a FELCRA settler.

Ismail Sabri (second right) hands over a mock cheque for the interim dividend to a representative of the FELCRA settlers, witnessed by Bung Moktar (third right) and others.

Ismail Sabri (centre) and FELCRA settlers give their thumbs-up following the interim dividend distribution ceremony on Sunday

Ismail Sabri delivers his speech during FELCRA’s interim dividend distribution ceremony on Sunday.

Ismail Sabri (right) hands over a mock cheque for the interim dividend to a representative of the FELCRA settlers, witnessed by Bung Moktar (second right) and others.