‘We’ll keep caring for settlers’
PM: Ties that bind Felda and Putrajaya can’t be broken
PEKAN: The Government will continue to champion the welfare and development of the Felda community in the country, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said among the steps taken were studying how Felda’s development and listing of Felda Global Ventures Holdings Berhad (FGV) could be strengthened in terms of management so that FGV could help in regards to the wellbeing and success of Felda, especially the settlers.
Najib said this is what the Government wants and one of the programmes that will be implemented later is Settlers Day, which will be held in Putrajaya with an expected turnout of more than 20,000 settlers from throughout the country.
“This is to give a clear signal that the ties that bind Felda and Putrajaya cannot be broken. Felda settlers are always in the hearts of Putrajaya and likewise Putrajaya in the hearts of settlers,” he said at a breaking-of-fast event with Felda Chini settlers at Masjid Felda Chini 1 here yesterday.
At the event, Najib also launched Phase 8 of the Pahang-level Kampung Street Lighting Project.
The project will see 7,700 street light units installed around villages in Pahang, which costs RM6.62mil and will be handled by Tenaga Nasional Berhad.
On another issue, Najib said Malaysian companies and corporations are still able to pay zakat or tithes despite the uncertainty in the global economy.
Companies here could still enjoy profits because the Government has successfully managed the country’s economic growth, he added.
“It is one of our successes that people often overlook. With the fall in oil prices and the changing policies of the US government, emerging economies have been affected.
“But we have to be thankful because Malaysia still enjoys a healthy and sustainable growth.
“When we are successful, companies and corporate bodies earn profits and they can share more by giving bigger zakat,” he said before handing out tithe payments to 6,347 recipients here.
Najib, who is Pekan MP, said the payout to the needy in his constitu- ency totalled RM2.63mil from contributions by 11 companies.
“This does not mean there are many poor folk in Pekan. We have a huge amount this time so we can give to more eligible people,” he said.
The corporations which contributed zakat payments were Bank Rakyat, National Farmers Organisation, Sapura Holdings, Naza Corporation Holdings, Roadcare (M) Sdn Bhd, UDA Holdings, Lembaga Tabung Haji, SME Bank, Wekajaya Sdn Bhd, Affin Islamic Bank Berhad and Yayasan Basmi Kemiskinan.