PUTRAJAYA, April 15 — The Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) will hold an engagement session with settlers in the near future to hear their views on the agency’s new direction following the recent tabling of its white paper.

Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said the engagement with settlers was a key process in the efforts to reshape Felda.

He said this when met by Bernama at his office here recently.

On April 10, Minister of Economic Affairs Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali when tabling the White Paper — Towards the Sustainability of Felda in the Dewan Rakyat, announced an allocation of RM6.23 billion to Felda in stages in the form of grants, loans and government guarantees for the sustainability of the land development agency.

Mohd Radzi said the engagement session would also gather the settlers’ feedback on the Felda white paper.

He said Felda’s management would also share ideas with settlers on the proposal mooted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs for settlers’ land to be combined and cultivated efficiently on a large scale.

Mohd Radzi said it would create synergy if each settler’s 10-acre (4.5 hectares) land combined together, for a large-scale cultivation.

"Eighty per cent of Felda settlers now are aged 60 and above. Instead of leaving their land not optimally used, it is better that they handed it over to Felda to be managed as a big plantation,” he said.

However, he said, the proposal to develop the land ultimately dependent on the settlers’ agreement. — Bernama