KUALA LUMPUR: The strategic collaboration between the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) and the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) is a new dimension in identifying and coordinating six areas of focus including infrastructure, education and entrepreneurship.
Felda chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said this strategic collaboration also provides opportunities and benefits for Felda to solve many matters jointly with KKDW.
“This is a new dimension when talking about the approach made by the government today. In the past, Felda was considered a separate agency and all Felda matters are referred to the minister, but this time even though Felda is under the Prime Minister’s Department, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim directed that many things need to be coordinated between Felda and KKDW.
“For example, if you first build a village road and enter the area near Felda, it will stop there but if these works can be coordinated, we will not leave it alone if Felda does not have the capacity… so KKDW can come in, this kind of cooperation is not only for infrastructure development but also includes education, human capital training and so on,“ he said.
He said this when appearing as a guest on the Ruang Bicara programme titled Felda and KKDW Strategic Cooperation which was broadcast on Bernama TV last night (Jan 22).
On January 9, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that KKDW and Felda will work together by focusing on six areas namely human capital development, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), infrastructure development, entrepreneurship, plantation and Felda’s preparedness with involvement of the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA).
In another development, Ahmad Shabery said the direction towards creating a circular economy from palm oil should be established because it can generate new incomes for Felda.
“For Bumiputera to be strong, it can no longer be seen as depending on policies or laws that protect them, as there are things we can do but to move forward it must be seen to have the ability and be able to compete with everyone.
“Thus in several engagement sessions in the Bumiputera Economic Congress, we have started to make them more competitive because we already have a comparative advantage, for example in the Felda, we have almost 800 hectares of land, it is no longer seen as just an opportunity to produce palm oil from oil palm only but palm oil biomass waste can be recycled as a new source of energy while contributing to the circular economy,“ he said. – Bernama
