PAKATAN Harapan needs to do more to capitalise on the discontent among settlers over Felda’s mismanagement if the opposition coalition hopes to secure their votes, said experts.

They pointed out that relying on Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s influence alone will not be enough, adding that PH should make it very clear now what they can offer if they win federal power in the 14th general election which must be called by June this year.

Ilham Centre executive director Hisommuddin Bakar said PH made the right move by getting Bersatu to lead the opposition pact’s foray into Felda settlements due to its advantage of being an Umno splinter party.

“But it has so far failed to counter Barisan Nasional’s offers to the settlers. 

“They only rely on Dr Mahathir’s influence and attacks against Umno leaders but offer little else.

“They can no longer rely on voters’ sentiment and sympathy. They need to come out with offers to the voters, and I think now is the right time to state their case,” Hisommuddin told The Malaysian Insight. 

The analyst said the replanting scheme managed by Felda is a big issue among settlers, but PH does not look at it as fodder to secure more votes. 

“They rely on sentiments and anger to sway votes,” said Hisommuddin. 

The Felda-born analyst has done extensive research on the plantations over the last few years. Of the 165 peninsular parliamentary seats, Bersatu is allocated 52, PKR 51, DAP 35 and Amanah 27.

More than 50 seats with Felda settlements will be a key battleground in the next polls.

Twenty-seven of Bersatu’s allocated parliamentary seats have Felda settlements. Another 26 seats with Felda settlements will be contested by other PH component parties, PKR (13), Amanah (8) and DAP (5). 

A total of 92 state seats nationwide have significant Felda settlements.

Some settlers, politicians and lawyers allege the Felda replanting agreement is biased and has burdened settlers with large debts. 

According to one of the lawyers who studied the agreement, Zulqarnain Luqman, Felda crafted an agreement where settlers would relinquish management of their estates to the land agency so that it could replant the land with oil palm trees.

It took about three years to replant and for the trees to mature, during which the smallholdings did not produce anything. During the replanting period, settlers received a RM1,500 monthly living allowance that has to be repaid once their estates begin turning a profit. 

Hisommuddin said PH should focus and address the main grouses of the settlers – huge debts and uncompetitive oil palm prices.

“PH is not serious in addressing these issues,” he said, adding that PH needs to find ways to overcome the “BN contributions” sentiment that caused settlers to remain indebted to the ruling government for giving them land. 

“PH needs to bring other narratives to diminish the BN hold on settlers through its ‘contributions sentiment’,” he said. 

In July last year, Prime Minister Najib Razak announced several incentives for Felda settlers, including five housing programmes, debt forgiveness and cash handouts amounting to RM475 million. 

A total of 94,956 settlers will get RM5,000 as a reward for their support for the government.

Universiti Utara Malaysia academic Prof Azizuddin Sani said Dr Mahathir had done a lot for Felda settlers during his time in office.

“Definitely, he will be able to capture their attention and speak to them about the issues facing the company and settlers. This is  positive for the opposition, as before this they made little headway there,” said Azizuddin.

However, Dr Mahathir’s reaching out to settlers and getting their attention is not enough.

“Bersatu and Pakatan Harapan have to offer an alternative to what BN is doing. What are they offering settlers?” he said.

Azizuddin said working up sentiment will bring in some votes but not enough to win a constituency.

“If you have nothing to offer settlers in incentives to improve their livelihood, why would they vote for you?

“They might as well stick with the tried and tested BN,” he said

Mazlan Aliman, who heads Felda settler group ANAK, said Bersatu was the ideal party to contest in Felda seats because of its leaders’ experience. 

“Bersatu has grassroots strength and its leaders are known among Felda voters, it makes it easier for us to make inroads into Felda areas,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

He said he was aware that sentiment alone was not enough to win the settlers over.

“We are working with the PH parties and are proposing some ideas. Something big is coming,” he said. – January 14, 2018.