Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu
KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) will pay RM100.888 million in dividends early next year.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu said the amount would be divided among the 16,374 land owners who participated in Salcra oil palm plantations.
“Looking at our financial strength, Salcra has enjoyed profits due to prudent management which enabled high production, thus we are able to pay the amount to the participants,” Jabu, who is Salcra chairman, told a media conference at Salcra headquarters here yesterday.
He had earlier chaired Salcra 87th Board of Directors meeting at the headquarters.
Jabu explained that only participants with mature estates were entitled to receive the payment, and not those who had just started.
The Rural Development Minister pointed out that the payment would be split into two – one in early next year and the other in July – and he hoped recipients would use their dividend wisely, taking into account the educational welfare of their children.
“We (Salcra) chose to pay the dividend by early next year because we are aware that parents need money to register their children at schools,” Jabu said.
He added that Salcra did not want to see the participants face financial burden when they send their children to schools.
The Modernisation of Agriculture Minister went on to say that the second payment in July was to prevent overspending by some participants during Gawai.
“Again, we do not want to see the participants face financial burden after Gawai, that is why we chose July. We see education as a very important factor for the society and state to progress,” Jabu said.
He added that Salcra Board of Directors always heed Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud’s advice, so that the participants could use the dividends for their children’s education in the effort to develop Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
Meanwhile, Jabu said the production of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) this year was projected to reach 601,000 tonnes, an increase of 18,000 tonnes from last year.
According to him, total FFB production for the 10 months period was 491,275 tonnes.
He disclosed that some 51,000 hectares had been covered with oil palm, where 40,908 hectares were already mature.
Also at the conference were Salcra general manager Datu Vasco Singkang and deputy manager Anthony Noges.