Ismail (centre) presents a mock cheque bearing the total dividends for 2016 to Japar. Also seen are Bung Moktar (third left, partly obscured) and Azizul (right).
LUNDU: The Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Felcra) will pay out a total of RM822,773 to smallholders in Tamang Sembawang here next week.
Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said another RM266,996 had already been given out to the smallholders early this year.
“Those are all dividends from the year 2016, and we hand out dividends three times a year,” he said during the Tamang Sembawang security and development committee’s annual general meeting here yesterday.
According to Ismail, there are over 9,000 Felcra smallholders in Sarawak – 582 of whom are from Tanjong Datu.
“This is a big number. And in Tanjong Datu, Felcra has developed 1,180 hectares of land. Where else do you have a government that provides and develops the land for the people and yet the dividends are handed out to the people? This is happening only in Malaysia.”
Ismail said the government was now looking at distributing dividends on a monthly basis instead of thrice a year from June this year.
He said pilot projects had been implemented at five areas in Peninsular Malaysia, including Perak and Terengganu.
“The pilot projects have been going on for a year now. It seems that there is no problem with handing out dividends every month. So we aim to implement it throughout Malaysia starting June,” he told a press conference after the function.
Responding to requests made by head of smallholders of Tamang Sembawang, Mohamad Japar Ellon, Ismail said Felcra would develop new areas to include new smallholders if the state government could grant more land for this purpose.
The federal minister said he would meet Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg to discuss the matter.
On the RM129 million water supply project announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Ismail said his ministry would build a water treatment plant and booster pump as well as replacing the existing pipes with new ones.
Among those present were Felcra Berhad chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and Azizul Annuar Adenan, who is campaigning on behalf of his mother Datin Patinggi Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu, the BN candidate for the Tanjong Datu by-election.