06/02/2012 (New Strait Times) - More than 5,000 settlers from 36 Felda schemes nationwide are expected to get the oil palm replanting incentive soon.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the settlers involved were those who replanted their oil palm plots before the replanting incentive scheme was implemented between Dec 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009.

"Those who did not receive the incentive have asked the government to consider their situation.

"Since the government has always given priority to the people, we will make the announcement on the payment soon," he said at a presentation of the oil palm replanting incentive to settlers in Felda Chini Timur 3, near here, yesterday.

His speech was read by Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad.

Najib said the incentive was provided by the Malaysian  Palm Oil Board to encourage smallholders to fell their old oil palm trees and plant new ones using  better seedlings.

On the listing of Felda Global Ventures Holding (FGVH), Najib said the company would continue to be a Malay-based entity as the majority of its shares would be held by Koperasi Permodalan Felda (KPF).

He said the listing would make Felda more competitive in the international market.  The listing, on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia, is aimed at consolidating Felda and widening business opportunities with international partners through the commercialisation of its downstream products.  

"Believe me, we will not betray the Felda founded by my father Tun Abdul Razak, but will improve it further," he stressed.

Isa later said  settlers who would receive the incentive were those who replanted their oil palm smallholdings between 2004 and 2005.

"Those who replanted after that period, but before the scheme was introduced (2008-2009), had already received the incentive after the government approved their appeals," he said, adding that the settlers would receive RM1,000 per hectare of oil palm plot that had been replanted.

Isa also said  the final structure of the proposed listing of FGVH would be ready before Feb 13.

"We will brief Felda managers and settler representatives on the final structure during a meeting on Feb 13. It will also include the number of shares and windfall that each of the 112,635 KPF members are expected to get."