KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today stressed that the government has never barred programmes from being held in Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) settlements, including those organised by state governments, provided they do not involve the use of federal government machinery for election campaigning.
He said state governments are free to organise events in FELDA areas, but election laws prohibit the use of government machinery, including FELDA resources, for campaign purposes.
“There is absolutely nothing preventing a menteri besar from entering a FELDA settlement and organising his own programme.
“If a state government wants to issue land titles, that is its prerogative, although it must still comply with election regulations. The restriction is not on the programme itself, but on using FELDA machinery for campaigning,” he said during the Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Responding to Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut), Anwar also denied issuing any directive to cancel the FELDA Settlers' Day programme, which had been scheduled to take place in Kluang, Johor, on June 20 and 21.
The Prime Minister said the MADANI Government remains committed to improving the welfare of FELDA communities through a range of initiatives aimed at revitalising settlements that had, in his view, suffered from poor management in the past.
Among the measures introduced are the establishment of dialysis centres in FELDA settlements and the expansion of development facilities through federal government agencies.
“In the past, many FELDA settlements did not receive the attention they deserved and were left behind in rural development projects. That is why Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and I decided to provide far better facilities than before,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
