MERSING: The success of the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) now is due solely to the continued efforts of Barisan Nasional leaders, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

       He added that Felda would not even exist without the struggles of Malaysia’s second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, who sought to address poverty issues in rural areas among the Malays.

       “The success Felda is experiencing today comes from the struggles of previous Barisan leaders and the agenda is continued by the coalition’s present leaders, including me.

       “But we never asked for thanks like a certain individual,” he said in his speech at a Felda transformation farming ceremony at the Felda Endau public field here yesterday.

       The Prime Minister is believed to allude to his predecessor and Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who had been reminding Felda settlers of the benefits he had brought them as he campaigned for the Johor election.

       Ismail Sabri criticised the many individuals who claimed to love Felda and be responsible for its success, saying that the achievements came solely from Barisan.

       “Let me tell you a secret. I’ve been told that Pejuang chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad tried to privatise Felda even before the National Electricity Board was privatised and became Tenaga Nasional Bhd.“He was disappointed when the plan did not work out and from then on, Dr Mahathir decided not to give financial aid to Felda. It had to find its own funding,” he added.

       Earlier at a function in Kota Tinggi, he said the government would introduce a new concept to help Felda second-generation settlers get a house of their own.

       Instead of selling completed houses to the second generation, he said the new measure would entail selling land lots to them to build their dream homes.

       On another matter, he said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin would announce the details of the reopening of Malaysia’s borders soon to ensure that it happened smoothly.

       He said this after presenting the Johor-level Keluarga Malaysia Rukun Tetangga grants at an event organised by the National Unity Ministry at the Felda Lok Heng sports community complex.