‘We have proven our worth’

All smiles: Felda settlers couldn’t pass on the opportunity to take a photo with Ismail Sabri while he was attending the Moh Ngeteh programme at Felda Purun. — Bernama

BERA: Development for the Felda community is better under the Barisan Nasional-led government and this is proven through the various assistance and initiatives rolled out to help the community, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said the various assistance given to Felda settlers since the establishment of the agency, and are now being continued for the second generation, also proved the government’s concern and aspiration to improve the socioeconomic status of the people in Felda settlement areas.

“We can see the difference in the treatment of the Felda community when Barisan was the government and during the Pakatan Harapan administration,” he said when attending a gathering with the Sebertak Felda community.

At the Felda Settler’s Day celebration last July, Ismail Sabri also announced an allocation of almost RM65mil to implement five initiatives, including housing, for the settlers and their second generation.

Under the 2023 Budget, RM2.6bil has also been allocated to all main agencies regulating commodity activities, including Felda.

Allocation to upgrade infrastructure at each settlement had also been increased from RM50,000 to RM66,000 a year.

Ismail Sabri said the government had also provided an opportunity to the new generation of Felda settlers to expand their businesses through the Felda Youth Entrepreneurs Fund with a revolving fund of RM10mil.

On another matter, the Prime Minister said the essence of Budget 2023 will become Barisan’s manifesto, taking into account that the RM372.3bil Budget is based on actual global situation.

Ismail Sabri said the fact that some parties want to copyit indicates it is good and comprehensive.

“Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had made various comments about the government but when we present a good Budget, he also wants to imitate it,” he said.

Ismail Sabri was commenting Muhyiddin’s statement during Perikatan’s manifesto launch, where he reportedly said that all initiatives in Budget 2023, including aid to the people and civil servants would be improved and implemented.