KUALA LUMPUR (April 9): As soon as Parliament was dissolved on Saturday, paving the way for the 14th general election, a bid to clinch the votes of Felda settlers — a crucial vote bank for the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government — has drawn rival groups representing them into open battle.

The fight is between Gabungan Wawasan Generasi Felda (GWGF), a pro-government umbrella group representing the settlers and the opposition-leaning Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (Anak).

The development marks a spilt in the land reform scheme that is home to some 105,000 settlers’ families around the country — which has traditionally been a safe deposit for the incumbent government. 

Analyses of the last general election show that out of 86 parliamentary seats won by Umno, the lead party in BN, 54 had Felda areas in their constituencies. 

On Saturday morning, GWGF announced its support for the BN, ahead of the launching of the coalition’s manifesto.

GWGF is a group of 14 non-government organisations (NGOs) that claims to speak for Felda settlers and their families nationwide, estimated at some 600,000 people.

“This is a decision made by the GWGF committee members,” its president Tan Sri Rozali Ismail told at a press conference in Shah Alam. “[Moving forward,] we will transmit this message down to the ground.”

Also attending was Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) chief executive Datuk Zakaria Arshad, who is a second-generation Felda settler.

“We do not deny that the settlers have raised various issues,” said Rozali, “GWGF has also compiled all of them.”

However, he said it would was “not fair” for Felda settlers to shift their allegiance away from BN.

“Everyone knows that the issues raised by some quarters — lack of housing, problems with replanting, lack of job opportunities — are on-going matters,” he said.

“The big problems have been resolved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak,” he said.

These issues include reported mismanagement in Felda and FGV which have substantially affected their finances and FGV’s share price.

Also highlighted was the scandal involving Felda Investment Corp (FIC) in a deal which almost cost its ownership of land plots along Jalan Semarak in Kuala Lumpur worth up to RM270 million.

Commenting on the joint manifesto of the opposition parties which was announced a month ago, GWGF said it is “confident” that there is no guarantee that Felda will  remain as an agency for Bumiputeras under the watch of any party aside from Umno.

Contacted by theedgemarkets.com, the pro-opposition Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (Anak) — which also presents itself as the voice of Felda settlers nationwide — said its members were unhappy with the management of Felda.

Anak chairman Mazlan Aliman, who is a supreme council member of Parti Amanah Negara, argued that Felda’s aspirations were not advanced sufficiently by BN during its recently ended term.

Amanah is a member of the opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition, which is in a tussle with the Registrar of Societies over its bid to be registered.

Mazlan raised the appointment of Tan Sri Isa Samad as Felda and FGV chairman between 2011 and 2017, which faced “much disagreement from the settlers”.

“Felda is a body that sits directly under the Prime Minister’s Office. Najib should know the developments within the agency in the last nine years.

“Who was responsible for Isa’s appointment?” asked Mazlan. “Now [Tan Sri] Shahrir Samad has stood at the helm for over a year now. Where are the results of the management review?” 

“It does not matter who forms the federal government, but what matters is the political will to fix the issues,” said Mazlan.

In the BN manifesto launched on Saturday, pledges concerning Felda settlers include writing off selected settlers’ debts, a special replanting grant worth up to RM7,500 per hectare for qualified settlers, and a special incentive worth RM5,000 for each settler.

“Do not forget that the abolishment of debt has been promised to us for over 20 years, but our debt has only increased year-on-year,” said Mazlan.

Instead of making new promises, the government could instead look into previously abandoned projects — including some 10,000 settlers' houses for which the list of recipients have already been issued, he added.