[Malasia] RM50 Mln For Poverty Eradication Programmes In Sabah - Najib

From The Malaysian National News Agency

TUARAN, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- The Federal Government has decided that Felda allocated 30 per cent of its annual nett profit or about RM35 million to the Sabah Government this year to help the state intensify poverty eradication programmes.

Announcing this here Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said for a start "I've decided that Felda make a one-off decision to increase the allocation to bring it to RM50 million."

"Hence, we'll start the programmes this year based on the RM50 million allocation," he told reporters after launching the third series of the national service training programme here today.

Najib said tracts of land allocated to Felda in Sabah are without settlers.

"After deducting the development cost and Felda's expenditure, we've decided to allocate 30 per cent of the nett profit earned from this state to the Sabah Government for poverty alleviation programmes.

"Based on last year's crude palm oil prices, Sabah will receive about RM35 million this year to implement poverty eradication programmes," said Najib, who has been put in-charge of Felda by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Najib said a technical committee had been set up headed by the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department to identity the type of programmes suitable and effective for implementation.

The Finance Ministry, government departments and agencies and representatives from the Sabah Government are members of the committee.

Najib said the validity period for the agreement to allocate 30 per cent of Felda's nett profit to Sabah Government was five years but "if there is a further need, the matter can be re-negotiated."

He said poverty eradication programmes are expected to be launched in Sabah in March.