KUALA LUMPUR – The Rural Development Ministry has agreed to coordinate the distribution of RM189.08 million dividend via the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) and Felcra Bhd, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Of the amount, RM82.03 million is the 2020 dividend from Risda, while RM107.05 million is the final income payout derived from additional profit from projects last year.
Muhyiddin said Risda’s dividend will be distributed to 16,080 rubber and oil palm smallholders under the cluster new planting plan, and 15,165 smallholders engaged in commercial replanting, which involves an area of 39,430ha nationwide.
On Felcra’s final distribution payout, he said 58,826 participants nationwide will receive the payment in stages from today.
“The issuance of the 2020 final income distribution from Felcra is the result of the net profit from 890 participant-owned plantation projects developed by the organisation.”
The government this year has also allocated RM69.9 million as monsoon aid, Muhyiddin said, as a continuous effort to ensure the well-being of rubber smallholders and tappers.
He said the aid will benefit 232,319 rubber smallholders and tappers, who will each receive RM600 to be paid in two instalments, namely in December this year and January next year.
“Concerned with the plight of rubber smallholders, who are the backbone of the country’s rubber industry, the government has once again allocated a monsoon aid for next year.”
He said the government had distributed the aid to all rubber smallholders and tappers last year, involving an allocation of RM129.8 million, and special Covid-19 aid of RM64 million.
To help the oil palm plantation sector, which suffers a shortage of skilled workers due to Covid-19, the government through Felcra had, since September last year, created harvest operator jobs for local human capital nationwide, he added.
“It involves 2,500 employment opportunities in eight Felcra areas, namely in the northern, eastern and central areas, as well as Perak, Pahang, Johor, Sabah dan Sarawak.
He said the opportunities are also open to those who have lost their source of income due to the pandemic, and persons on parole. – Bernama, April 27, 2021
