26/06/2012 (Bernama) - The Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) and Felcra Berhad have planted 282,966.54 hectares of land in the peninsula with oil palm and rubber.

Deputy Rural and Regional Development minister Datuk Hasan Malek said of the total, 25,710.39 hectares were developed for the Orang Asli via the Orang Asli Development Department (JKOA) by Risda (17,894.39 hectares) and Felcra.

"Until today, five commercial planting of oil palm covering 313.17 hectares had been developed through JKOA in Central Perak," he told the Dewan when answering a question from Mohd Nizar Zakaria (BN-Parit) on economic aid given to the Orang Asli and the planting of rubber and oil palm in peninsula Malaysia.

Hasan said other economic aid such as vegetable planting projects, fish and goat rearing and development of trading premises with a RM3.76 million allocation involving 234 heads of Orang Asli households, were also given.

"The ministry, through JKOA, had provided aid for numerous economic projects involving the Orang Asli community, under the State Economic Development Programme, since the Eighth Malaysia Plan (RMK-8)," he said.