FELDA TRANSFORMED THE RURAL ECONOMY

By Zuhafizah Ahmad Zaki

SLIM RIVER (Perak, Malaysia), Aug 13 (Bernama) -- When the Federal Land
Development Authority (Felda) was first envisaged by former Prime Minister Abdul
Razak Hussein, there were doubts on how far the land resettlement scheme would
transform the life of the settlers and their coming generations.

Today the Felda community in 317 land resettlement schemes numbering 4.8
million people represent 15.6 per cent of the nation's population, and they not
only have improved their economic standing, but have also transformed the
nation's geographical landscape.

The Slim (Perak) assemblyman Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib is among those
who are proud of their Felda heritage.

He is the son of a settler from Felda Sungai Behrang near Slim River and has
always been proud of the land scheme that has helped rural citizens to escape
from the poverty cycle.

"Many of the Felda settlers came from remote villages where they lived in
poverty. They would have never imagined that one day they could earn more
that RM4,000 (US$1,250) per month, more than their highly educated children," he
told Bernama recently.

Mohd Khusairi's father joined the Felda Sungai Behrang scheme in 1968 with a
strong determination to change the family's fate for the better.

Seven years later, when the rubber trees started to yield, life of
the settlers who could only afford purchases from the cooperative shop in the
settlement began to improve gradually.

LIFE TRANSFORMED

Some were even homeless or were putting up with their relatives but when
they joined Felda they were allocated a one room quarters with a detached toilet
and bathroom on a quarter acre of land.

"Today due to the good income of the settlers and the good management by
Felda, the settlers have replaced the quarters with a more comfortable abode
with some even going to the extent of building their dream bungalows by saving
up," he said.

Mohd Khusairi who graduated in psychology and history from Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University, Malaysia - UKM) in 1986 pointed out
that depending on the commodity prices some could earn between RM5,000
(US$1,562) and RM10,000 per month (US$3,125).

In the education aspect, Felda provides free tuition for the children of the
settlers in school and provides RM500 (US$156.25) for those taking up a diploma
course and RM1,000 (US$312.25) for first degree course at any institutions of
higher learning.

The new generation in Felda also have access to numerous skill related
courses including aircraft maintenance.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

The socio economic transformation is evident at all Felda settlements.

"In the early days, some may be shy to admit that they are Felda settlers'
children, but today they are very proud of their origins.

Currently there are 10 settlement schemes nearby - three in Trolak, five in
Besout, and one each in Sungai Behrang and Sungai Klah with the number of
settlers and depends accounting to 40,000 of them.

NOW AND THEN

Abdul Razak Din, 46, the son of a Felda Lasah settler in Sungai Siput
recalled it was an arduous life for his late father when he started at the
scheme in the early 1970s.

"My late father's monthly income was RM69.60 (US$21.75) before the rubber
trees started producing yield and he had to support a family of six. Now the
settlers can easily earn a minimum of RM3,000 (US$937) per month and in places
where the soil is fertile they earn nearly RM8,000 (US$2,500) from 4.4 hectares
of land," he said.

Abdul Razak who is currently an editor with Utusan Malaysia (a Malay
language daily) in the capital city observed that the settlers now own
motorcycles and cars with some taking their cars to tap rubber, a stark contrast
compared with the days when they used to go on bicycles.

Touching on education, Abdul Razak who has a communications degree from
University Putra Malaysia noted that there are avenues available for the younger
generation in Felda to pursue education.

"Children of settlers with 4As will be sent to the best schools all over the
nation. Even for the average students Felda still provides other avenues to help
them continue with education. Even I received a Felda scholarship during my
undergraduate days," he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of Gabungan Wawasan Generasi Felda (GWGF) Dr
Kamari Kasan observed that the Felda settlers have transformed beyond the
anticipation of those who started Felda.

"What started as an effort to eradicate poverty has turned out to be an
avenue to generate wealth," he said.

THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS

Dr Kamari who has PhD from United Kingdom is the son of a settler from
Felda Cahaya Baru, Masai, Johor who has gone through the vagaries of life when
his father participated the Felda scheme in 1969.

He recalled that the pioneer settlers successfully made the migration from
poor to middle class and now it is time for Felda to create a generation of
millionaires.

"The children of successful settlers can be motivated to look for ways to
make their million.

"This generation need not continue remaining as a settler in their
settlement and they should be looking into the business and plantation sector
even in overseas," he said.

The chairman of GWGF Rozali Ismail is among the new generation from
Felda Gedangsa, Hulu Selangor pointed at the success of Felda in helping the
settlers' children to seek high academic qualifications.

"We have succeeded in education but we have to seek a higher benchmark. We
want to see a higher education institution catering for the children of the
settlers. We already have the Mara Junior Science College (MRSM). It is only
natural that we progress another step," he said during a briefing in Felda
Gunung Besout 1 in Sungkai recently.

Rozali is seen as the most successful among Felda's younger generation and
he is aware that the settlers have to undergo continuous transformation to keep
up with times and GWGF is working out proposals in this direction.

"The transformation plan is how we want to see Felda by the year 2020 in
line with national economic transformation and for the next 20 to 30 years," he
said.

The coming generations of the settlers have to work hard like their
forefathers like seen in the film 'Bilut' to ensure they too succeed.
-- BERNAMA