Early Felda settlers share bitter experiences

By Ahmad Erwan Othman

PEKAN, July 5  -- Trudging through dense forests and swamps, with lurking danger of attacks by wild animals, life without clean water and electricity supply, were among experiences and bitter memories shared by the early settlers of Felda.

These life difficulties experienced by the early Felda generation, with the first settlement in Lurah Bilut, Bentong, Pahang, in 1958,  are etched in history when Felda became one of the most important institutions that changed the fate of the people in the country.

Now, the settlers enjoy much better life. The Felda houses can be said to have evolved 360 degrees that it is now difficult to a Felda settler’s house like it  used to be during the early years, with the floor and walls made of wood planks.

The hard life as a settler is now a bitter memory for Wan Chik Mat, 69, who is one of the settlers at  Gugusan Felda Chini near here.

Wan Chik, who is from Penang, recalled the time, some 39 years ago, when he and his wife Raudzah Abd Rhani, 71, who was then pregnant with their second child, took a ride on a lorry and traveled through dirt road to get to Felda Chini 5.

"It was on a Thursday around mid-1981. We came from Jerantut, and the only things we had then were a bicycle, some clothing, some rice, salt and sugar and cooking pots, ”he told Bernama at his residence recently.

At that time, he said, Felda provided houses for its settlers - a wooden house with one bedroom and a toilet outside, with no water and electricity supply.

“Every morning we had to gather for the roll call to go to work in the plantation, which was then a forest. Life was hard then. Our salary depended on the oil palm harvest. After all the deductions, we were just left with a few ringgit, but at that time, even when we had no money, we can buy on credit at the Felda shop (now D’Mart) and our salary will be deducted at the end of the month for the purchase,” he added.

Wan Chik and Raudzah are blessed with four children.

Having gone through all the hardship, the couple, as well as other Felda settlers, are now smiling with gratitude to be able to enjoy the benefits of their hardwork.

For Raudzah, she said, the decision made by her husband to become a settler was apt and wise, even though they had to go through various hardship.

She said among the experiences she would never forget was seeing a herd of elephants turned wild and a tiger dragging a cow while she was taping rubber trees in a plantation.

“In fact, we are grateful to be selected to join the Felda land scheme, where each settler was given 10 acres of oil palm plantation. Don’t know how life would be had we not taken the opportunity,” she added.

For Chik Ibrahim, 97, and his wife Ramlah Abdullah, 85, both from Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, they joined the Felda land scheme in Chini 2 in 1980.

“The place then was still a dense forest area, with deer and wild animals  wandering around. There were only dirt roads then, no other facilities.

“The only time to go the town, which is Pekan, was on Friday and then we had to scramble to get a lift from the Public Works Department’s lorries,” said Chik.

A fact to be acknowledged is that most of the individuals who joined Felda as settlers did so with a determination to change their life and now it proves that their migration was a worthwhile sacrifice, with most of them enjoying better lives.

The cooperation between Felda and the settlers saw the formation of one of the most unique community institutions which has changed the life of Malaysians and can only be found in Malaysia.

Another settler,  Abdul Rahim Awang Kechik, 83, of Felda Chini 2, said one of the criteria to qualify as a Felda settler then was to be married.

As such, Abdul Rahman said a soon as he got married to  Asmah Yaacob, 81, he applied to join the Felda land scheme with the hope of making a better life.

He said when Felda invited applicants to join in its first land scheme in Chini, at Felda Chini 1 in 1971, it was for Pahang-born and not many people applied.

“In Felda Chini 1 and part of Felda Chini 2, there are many Pahang-born settlers, but in the neighbouring areas like Felda Chini 3, 4 and 5, they are people from various states.

“Felda Chini 1, 2 and 3 were opened in the early 90's. That's why we have people speaking various dialects,” he added.

One of the first generation settler in Felda Chini 3,  Ibrahim Aman, 70, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to second Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Abdul Razak Hussein for setting up Felda, which has helped to  improve the livelihood of the settlers.

-- BERNAMA