The government is giving a special raya cash incentive of RM500 each amounting to RM49.52 million for 99,046 Felda settlers throughout the country, said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

In the initial stage, the ‘duit raya’ was only RM300 per settler, but when making the announcement Najib spontaneously agreed to add another RM200 each after discussing with Felda chairperson Mohd Isa Samad.

“The text of my speech today which had been prepared should announce the ‘duit raya’ of RM300 each, but after discussing with Isa, he said that in Kuala Kangsar we had given RM500 to Risda participants.

“So, Felda cannot lose, after making calculations I said it was okay, we add another RM200, hopefully this contribution can help the settlers prepare for the hari raya in a happier mood,” he said to loud applause from the almost 4,000 people present.

He disclosed this in his speech at the opening of the national-level Ihya’ Rahmat Ramadan program for Felda settlers 2016 at the Dewan Semai Bakti Felda Chini Timur 3 in Pekan today.

The function was also attended by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Razali Ibrahim, Pahang state legislative assembly speaker Ishak Muhamad and Pahang Felda Affairs Committee chairperson Abu Bakar Harun.

In his speech, Najib criticised the groups who described the various assistance contributed by the government all this while to assist the people as giving fodder to the livestock.

“We help the rakyat to build schools, houses, construct roads not to give fodder. Fodder is for livestock, if we give assistance it means we are concerned about the needs of the people. This is the BN (Barisan Nasional) government,” he said.

He shared the happiness on the significant BN victory in the Parliamentary by-elections for Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar recently while reminding the BN elected representatives not to be carried away with the success.

'We must always be humble'

“Don’t gloat over the victory. We must always be humble, don’t be egoistic because the villagers will be disgusted if we are too egoistic.”

“Let us be humble with the rakyat, (we) must demonstrate a strong desire to assist the people at all times, then only will the people continue to choose the BN all the time,” he said.

He said although the BN and he personally were facing various allegations and personal attacks, the party remained the people’s choice because they knew how to evaluate which party chould champion the cause of the people.

“The rakyat wants a party that they have confidence in. They don’t care about the other version of national issues and stories spread (by the opposition) on 1MDB.

“What they want to know is that tomorrow is better than today, they want to know who can guarantee the future.

“It’s better that they choose people whom they know... have confidence in. Let whoever comes, including a former prime minister (Dr Mahathir Mohamad), they can never penetrate. In fact in the area he (Dr Mahathir) visited in Kuala Kangsar, the vote for BN increased,” he said.

At the same time, Najib gave his assurance that the government would continue to champion the cause of the Felda settlers including the second generation by providing various facilities including affordable homes at the price of RM70,000 to ensure that they lived in comfort.

- Bernama