IPOH: Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad says there is no issue of land being transferred from the Perak government to the Federal Government under the implementation of the Land (Group Settlement Areas) Act 1960.
The Perak Mentri Besar said the arrangement is based on a strategic partnership between the state and Putrajaya to optimise land development for public benefit, particularly in rural areas.
Under this model, the state government provides land while federal agencies such as Felcra and Felda are responsible for development and management, he added.
"The state continues to retain revenue through quit rent, while land is ultimately allocated to participants under structured settlement schemes," he said at the state assembly sitting here on Monday (April 20).
Razman Zakaria (PN-Gunung Semanggol) wanted to know the total land area in Perak transferred to the Federal Government under the Act, and their location.
Saarani said the Act was introduced to support organised agricultural development and socio-economic improvement for rural communities.
He added that it provides a legal framework for grouped land development, enabling participants to gain stable income through plantation activities while also benefiting from housing and long-term economic returns.
"The approach ensures more efficient land use, reduces the risk of idle land, and maximises economies of scale through centralised plantation management.
"In Perak, a total of 35,214.18 ha of GSA land is currently managed by Felcra and Felda.
"Felcra oversees 7,190.65 ha, while Felda manages 28,023.53ha, benefiting thousands of settlers across multiple districts.
"Felcra-managed areas include both settled plantation schemes and plantation-only projects, while Felda operates 17 schemes across Batang Padang, Kuala Kangsar, Muallim and Hulu Perak, benefiting nearly 6,000 settlers," he said.
