KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — The new generation of the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) settlers needs to play a bigger role in planning the agency’s return to its glory days, said two Youth icons.
‘Tokoh Beliawanis Award’ recipient Norhidayu Md Toha, 36, said the new generation of FELDA settlers has great potential, strength and spirit that can trigger positive and significant changes.
Taking the example of the current COVID-19 pandemic situation, Norhidayu who is a third-generation settler in Felda Air Tawar 2, Johor, said youths contributed a lot of sweat, energy, and money in helping individuals and families affected by COVID-19.
“The assistance we provide is not only in the form of basic necessities but also includes economic recovery assistance. This is where we give appliances like ovens to the new generation who possess skills but lack capital.
“This also helps them to pull themselves up and then for them to also contribute after they succeed,” she said in a special Zoom interview, here.
Meanwhile, “Tokoh Belia Felda 2020” recipient Izzudin Hamzah, 32, from Felda Lurah Bilut, Pahang. who also participated in the special interview, hoped that the FELDA next generation would come to agreement in the various FELDA committees and associations, and make plans to improve the agency’s performance nationwide and globally.
He said FELDA should give opportunities to the FELDA Youth Council of Malaysia especially in sharing ideas to drive success in administration.
“FELDA’s efforts today are to help sustain the success of FELDA’s future generations. The agency also needs to see the potential of young people and these new generations to create a culture of cooperation towards their future success,” he said.
Meanwhile, both youth icons (Norhidayu and Izzudin) welcomed the government’s initiative to write off some of the FELDA settlers’ loans as it could help increase the revenue and income of the settlers, trustees or administrators, and the FELDA generation who returned to their respective Felda schemes but who are still in debt.
“The government’s concern is very helpful to the settlers who have long incurred too much debt, and I as a third-generation FELDA settler am very grateful to the government for helping especially during this COVID-19 pandemic period.
“This is a very good initiative and helps reduce the burden of settlers,” added Norhidayu.
On July 7, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the government had agreed to FELDA’s proposal to write off of a portion of the settlers’ loans amounting to RM8.3 billion conditionally.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency