Transformation Of Felda To Forge Ahead As Nation's Pride
KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 (Bernama) -- Felda is undergoing a transformation process by reorganising its strengths to face new challenges, to remain relevant, sustainable and continue to be the pride of the country, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
In a post on X, Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said Felda is no longer just relying on traditional sectors but is now exploring the fields of education, entrepreneurship, food technology, arts and culture to ensure its survival and success.
"Since its establishment 69 years ago, Felda has not only been the backbone of rural development, but has also opened up opportunities for more than 112,638 settlers and almost three million Felda generations nationwide to enjoy a better life.
"Felda today is no longer just about rubber, oil palm and land scheme. It is undergoing a process of reorganising its old strengths to face new challenges, to remain relevant, sustainable and continue to be the pride of the country.
"I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all Felda settlers for their sacrifices, efforts and unwavering spirit since the establishment of Felda. God willing, with the support of all parties, Felda will continue to be a catalyst for rural prosperity and a strategic asset for the country," he said in conjunction with Felda Settlers' Day today (July 7).
Ahmad Zahid said that since the beginning, Felda has remained with the mandate of providing land to the landless, creating dignified jobs and eradicating poverty, which has been the basis of its success to this day.
For 2025, he said several key agendas would be the backbone of joint efforts for the benefit of the people and the country, including efforts to restore Felda's values and dignity to a higher level.
He said this included strengthening the economic well-being of settlers through increased income, new opportunities and community empowerment as national goals to uphold the services of settlers and ensure that they continue to be the backbone of rural and national development.
In addition, Ahmad Zahid said Felda's role also needed to be strengthened as a major power in the world's food and commodity industry, given that Malaysia is now emerging as a major player in the global palm oil industry through FGV, the world's third-largest crude palm oil (CPO) producer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Barnama
4 hours ago
- Barnama
DPM Zahid To Visit New Zealand's National Crisis Management Centre Today
GENERAL WELLINGTON, July 17 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is scheduled to visit New Zealand's National Crisis Management Centre today to observe the country's disaster and crisis response framework. Located in the Beehive Bunker beneath New Zealand's Parliament, the visit forms part of the fourth day of his official working trip to the country, in line with his responsibilities as Chairman of Malaysia's Central Disaster Management Committee (JPBP). The visit aims to gain insights into New Zealand's emergency response systems, inter-agency coordination, and post-disaster recovery strategies – areas for which the country is widely recognised for its preparedness and transparency. Ahmad Zahid is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with New Zealand's Minister for Agriculture, Trade and Investment, Todd McClay, to explore potential cooperation in food security and strategic supply chains. Later in the day, he will attend a community engagement session with Malaysians in Wellington, where over 250 citizens residing in the country are expected to participate. The Deputy Prime Minister is scheduled to conclude his working visit and return to Kuala Lumpur on Friday (July 18). Since arriving in Auckland on July 14, he has met with local industry leaders and business groups, including the ASEAN–New Zealand Business Council (ANZBC). On the second day, he travelled to Rotorua for the Māori Business Roundtable, aimed at strengthening collaboration in indigenous and social development initiatives. On the third day, he was in the capital for meetings with senior New Zealand government officials at the Beehive, as part of ongoing efforts to further enhance Malaysia–New Zealand bilateral relations.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Bursa Malaysia extends downtrend to close lower
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Wednesday on continuous profit-taking in selected heavyweights led by the financial services and utilities sectors. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 13.90 points or 0.91 per cent to 1,511.50 from Tuesday's close of 1,525.40 The benchmark index opened 1.63 points lower at 1,523.77 and moved between 1,510.14 and 1,526.29 throughout the session. The market breadth was negative, with 727 decliners outpacing 335 gainers and 432 counters unchanged, while 951 were untraded and eight suspended. Turnover improved to 3.18 billion shares worth RM2.44 billion, compared with 3.07 billion shares worth RM2.36 billion on Tuesday UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd's head of investment research Mohd Sedek Jantan said telecommunications counters led gains among FBM KLCI constituents, while consumer discretionary names bore the brunt of the sell-off. However, across the broader market, all indices closed in negative territory, reflecting the cautious mood despite recent domestic interest rate cuts, he added. "Adding to the subdued tone, Indonesia's successful negotiation of a 19 per cent tariff rate with the United States (US) further dampened sentiment as Malaysia awaits clarity on its tariff status, currently set at 25%. "This development highlights Malaysia's diminishing competitive edge in regional trade, particularly against Vietnam and Indonesia,' he told Bernama. Mohd Sedek also said market jitters intensified over US President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on the European Union (EU) and Mexico, stoking concerns that such measures could rekindle inflationary pressures following the stronger consumer price index (CPI) readings. "US headline CPI accelerated to 2.7 per cent year-on-year in June, up from 2.4 per cent in May, prompting investors to reassess expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts. "A steady flow of negative tariff headlines, coupled with waning hopes for near-term monetary easing in the US, continued to weigh on risk sentiment,' he added. Among the heavyweight counters, Maybank fell 12 sen to RM9.53, Public Bank slipped three sen to RM4.23, Tenaga Nasional shed 22 sen to RM13.68, CIMB lost 13 sen to RM6.50 and IHH Healthcare dropped six sen to RM6.52. In active trade, NexG gained one sen to 48.5 sen, Zetrix AI added two sen to 95 sen, TWL inched up half-a-sen to three sen, while Green Ocean Corporation went down 1.5 sen to 11 sen and Tanco was one sen lower to 89.5 sen. On the index board, the FBM Emas Index declined 105.05 points to 11,371.03, the FBMT 100 Index sank 104.96 points to 11,132.65, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index fell 79.23 points to 11,403.95. The FBM 70 Index dropped 167.01 points to 16,521.39, while the FBM ACE Index went down 5.54 points to 4,582.08. By sector, the Financial Services Index dipped 258.89 points to 17,243.76, the Industrial Products and Services Index shaved 0.76 of a point to 152.63, and the Plantation Index eased 11.63 points to 7,406.79. The Energy Index inched down 3.25 points to 735.67. The Main Market volume retreated to 1.38 billion units worth RM2.11 billion from 1.44 billion units valued at RM2.07 billion on Tuesday. Warrant turnover rose to 1.49 billion units valued at RM213.66 million from 1.28 billion units worth RM172.45 million previously. The ACE Market volume decreased to 304.96 million units valued at RM112.71 million, versus 347.59 million units worth RM122.67 million yesterday. Consumer products and services counters accounted for 206.34 million shares traded on the Main Market; industrial products and services (201.02 million), construction (73.57 million), technology (293.92 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (88.88 million), property (206.53 million), plantation (12.92 million), REITs (21.71 million), closed-end fund (12,600), energy (78.45 million), healthcare (112.27 million), telecommunications and media (33.65 million), transportation and logistics (18.68 million), utilities (30.12 million), and business trusts (51,100). - Bernama
Barnama
7 hours ago
- Barnama
UN Agency Describes Gaza War As 'Crisis For Rules-Based International Order'
GENEVA, July 16 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- The chief of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees on Wednesday warned that the war in Gaza has escalated beyond a humanitarian catastrophe, describing it as a fundamental threat to the rules-based international order and urging immediate action by states, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. "Entire families, entire neighbourhoods, an entire generation are being wiped out in Gaza," Philippe Lazzarini said on X, citing his address to the Emergency Conference of States held in Bogota. "Hundreds of UNRWA staff -- our colleagues, our friends -- have been killed. Aid is blocked. Civilians are not protected," he added.
