FELDA settlers nationwide feared a severe loss of income and hardship when the movement-control order (MCO) was imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19 more than two months ago.

However, in the following weeks, the government and Felda quickly allayed their fears by announcing and allocating financial aid.

Civil society groups also provided food during this period, they told The Malaysian Insight.

With the help, they are now more confident in facing their hardship and celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which is just around the corner.

“During the first month (of the MCO), there were some issues as we were afraid of going out to the farm. At that time, the information received was unclear.

“But as far as I am concerned, the settlers are less affected by the MCO because the government gave some money,” Abdul Ghani Ishak, 65, told The Malaysian Insight.

Ghani is more fortunate as he has a pension from working in the security services not too long ago.

“I have a monthly pension, so it doesn’t really matter, I didn’t go rubber tapping or to the palm oil plantation in the first month,” said the settler from Felda Tenang.

Muhammad Danial Aiman, 29, also said the daily operations of the Felda settlers are not affected and still running normally.

The third-generation settler at Felda Sg Tengi, Hulu Selangor, said activities are going on as usual, except during the first phase of the MCO.

“The activities were interrupted just a few days and now it is business as usual.

“Settlers here carry on with their normal routine and we feel safe here because there is no Covid-19 case,” he said.

With some assistance from civil society groups and Felda, settlers are able to maintain their livelihood during the MCO, said Danial.

“Our income was just enough but the government and groups contributed both wet and dry food,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Ahmad Muzammil Borhan, 32, of Felda Tenang, Labis, said his family survived because of Felda’s cash advance loans as oil palm trees were being replanted.

However, they are now worried about the fall in commodity prices as he needs to repay the loan.

“We got some money from the bantuan sara hidup (cost-of-living aid). If the prices drop, we only get a little. That is the only problem.

“When it comes to help, there is a lot of help, so there’s no problem for the settlers.”

Sales at the oil palm plantation factory also continued normally although the processing plant was temporarily closed because of a Covid-19 positive case, he said.

“When there was a positive case of Covid-19 at Felda Moakil, for example, the processing plant there was closed and our factory delivered the fruits to Felda Selancar. If we had left them here, they would decompose.

“We don’t mind sending the fruit bunches to the plant located far from us. At least they can be processed,” he said.

Settlers are also eligible for the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional following the outbreak of Covid-19 virus and the implementation of the MCO.

Bottom 40 settlers will also receive RM300 Hari Raya aid.

Those eligible for the grant include Felcra settlers and Risda smallholders starting on Monday.

The special assistance will cost RM148 million and will be channelled to 113,000 Felda settlers, 90,000 Felcra entrepreneurs in the B40 category, and 292,000 Risda smallholders, or those whose farms don’t exceed 2.5ha.

Felda distributed food valued at RM6.3 million to about 70,000 settler families from 317 schemes. – May 20, 2020.