It is a drizzly afternoon in Serting, Negri Sembilan and AM Talib Harun and a group of middle-aged men, all Federal Land Development Agency (Felda) settlers are chatting animatedly over coffee and keropok lekor.

About nine months ago, a truck dropped off stacks and stacks of the Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGV) prospectus at this Felda Raja Alias settlement for them to read, and now these men are minority shareholders in the government flagship.

The allocation of shares were part of the deal which Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, the minister in charge of Felda, said was the benefits from the listing for settlers. The "windfall" also includes RM15,000 per settler, paid in three installments.

Felda had made RM5.5 billion from its divestment, and RM1.7 billion or roughly a third of that went back to the settlers in the form of the windfall cash. It is unclear what the remainder will be used for.

"You know (the PM) said that it's supposed to secure our future until the end of the world. I don't see how," AM Talid said.

"It's 800 shares. If it was 180,000, like what was offered to some who have never even worked on a Felda land, I may change my mind."

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