RISDA, FELCRA to pay out RM189.08 mln dividend

KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 —The Ministry of Rural Development has agreed to coordinate the distribution of dividends of RM189.08 million through the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) and FELCRA Bhd, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Of the amount, RM82.03 million is the 2020 dividend from RISDA, while RM107.05 million is the final total income payout derived from additional profit from projects in 2020.

On the RISDA dividend, he said it would be distributed to 16,080 rubber and oil palm smallholders under the Cluster New Planting Plan (RTBB) and 15,165 smallholders engaged in Commercial Replanting (TSK), involving an area of ​​39,430 hectares throughout country.

"Today, I understand that RISDA also distributes corporate zakat (tithe) to more than 4,000 asnaf among smallholders (deserving recipients) and selected religious institutions throughout Malaysia with a zakat value of RM2.48 million," he said when opening the RISDA and FELCRA Dividend Presentation Ceremony 2021 here, today.

On FELCRA’s final distribution payout, Muhyiddin said 58,826 FELCRA participants nationwide would receive the payout in stages, starting today.

“The distribution of the FELCRA 2020’s final income distribution is the result of the net profit from 890 participant-owned plantation projects developed by FELCRA.

"The remaining 327 projects consist of projects that have not have any yield and are in the replanting phase," he said.

In a statement, FELCRA said its total final distribution of RM107.05 million was higher than RM83.82 million in 2019.

For 2020, it said FELCRA recorded a total profit of RM204.49 million, an increase of 19.51 per cent from RM171.10 million distributed in 2019.

-- BERNAMA