Felcra settlements in the eastern region of Terengganu received more than RM2 million in subsistence aid yesterday.

The aid was delivered by Felcra Malaysia chairman Bung Moktar Rudin to Felcra In Situ Hulu Berang in Hulu Terengganu, Felcra Panchor Merah 1 and 2 in Setiu and Felcra Tanjung Nibong in Marang.

A total of RM1,745,530.80 was allocated for Felcra In Situ Hulu Berang while RM232,176.00 was for Felcra Tanjung Nibong, and Felcra Panchor Merah 1 and 2 received RM455,37000 for oil palm replantation projects.

A total of RM21 million has been channelled for Felcra oil palm replanting projects throughout the eastern region of Terengganu from 2011 to September 2017.

Also present at the event were Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Jailani Johari, who is also Hulu Terengganu MP, Felcra Berhad chairman and state communications, multimedia and special duties community committee chairman, Ghazali Taib, who is also Ajil state assemblyperson, and Felcra Berhad chief executive officer Zulkarnain Mohd Usoup.

Bung Moktar, who is also Kinabatangan MP, said Felcra was currently planning to provide homes to Felcra settlers.

"The existing houses will be renovated. After that, we will build houses for the second generation.

"But in Felcra in Situ Hulu Berang, we will widen the road first..only then will we prepare the housing site.. because we know that the existing houses are quite old, where they live with family members, with children, so the area is also not very conducive," he told a press conference after a meet-and-greet session between Felcra Berhad leaders and settlers in Hulu Berang.

He added that housing programme for the second generation had been implemented throughout the country, and in Terengganu, it was done in Felcra Seri Bandi, Kemaman and Felcra Bukit Kapah, Hulu Terengganu.

Meanwhile, over 400 settlers of Felcra In-Situ Betong, Ajil will benefit from the installation of Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) under the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) of the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia.

Jailani said the social responsibility programme in Felcra schemes was necessary to extend internet coverage to more areas since coverage was poor due to geographic factors.

"As what was discussed with Felcra chairman Datuk Seri Bung Mokhtar Radin, they will prepare the premise while we will provide the internet service.

“The concept is similar to kampung wifi but the coverage will be more stable,” he told reporters after a TN50 dialogue session with youths of Felcra east region, yesterday.

Johari, who is also Hulu Terengganu Member of Parliament, said that VSAT was installed in Pekan, Pahang in early 2016 followed by Kelantan and Terengganu.

- Bernama