LANGKAWI: Felda welcomed the responsibility of fulfilling the needs of its community under the 2013 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Friday.

Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad said the agency had made early plans and preparations to implement these responsibilities according to the set guidelines.

Among others, the Prime Minister entrusted Felda with the responsibility of building 20,000 houses for the new generation of settlers within five years and RM60mil to repair traditional houses under the 'Kasih Felda' programme.

They will also be also allocated RM100mil annually for scholarships, and educational and skills training programmes for the children of the new generation of settlers, including 2,000 children outside the scheme.

"All these responsibilities will be carried out with Felda funds and I'm confident of doing our best," Mohd Isa told reporters after opening the Malaysian Felda Youth Council's third annual general meeting late Friday night.

Saying Felda would build prefabricated houses as they were faster and cheaper, he added that the project would start latest by January next year with a target of 4,000 units per year.

As to the 'Kasih Felda' programme, he said 100 traditional houses had been repaired with another 600 to go.

Furthermore, Felda had loaned more than RM650mil to its settlers for the construction of new houses and renovation purposes, he noted.

He also urged the handful of people in the Felda community who appeared to be ungrateful with the government's generosity to change their attitude and be thankful. - Bernama

• IHH Healthcare earnings up 3.6% to RM127.27m
• Petronas Dagangan Q1 earnings down 3.7% to RM237m
• Japan's tumble drags key regional, European markets lower (Update)
• KUB in JV with Singapore's Hiap Seng for Petronas project
• TDM to plant 5,000ha of new trees every year in Kalimantan
• KLCI falls to low of 1,765, rattled by Japan, HK
• Japan stocks crash on volatile bonds, weak China data; Nikkei ends down 7.3%
• MISC posts RM300m net profit in Q1, sees challenging year ahead (Update)
• KL Kepong slips to low of RM21.36 as quarterly profit drops
• Maybank's Q1 earnings up 11.8% to RM1.506b (Update)
• Lafarge Cement positive on markets, mulls expanding capacity
• Dayang Enterprise awards RM705m contract to Perdana Petroleum
• KLCI pauses, Japan, Hong Kong key indices slide (Update)
• ECM Libra plans to exit PN17 by year-end
• China HSBC flash PMI hits 7-mth low, fans growth fears

• Ranger, militant killed in Thai south shootout
• Japan man, 80, scales Everest, sets record
• Philippines vows to defend territory against China
• S. Korean girl killed by suicide jumper
• Ecuador warns satellite could hit rocket remains
• Short-story writer Davis wins Booker International Prize
• Two babies among US tornado victims
• Anti-Islamist protests flare following London attack
• 'British solider' butchered in suspected Islamist attack (Updated)

• Rugby: Former All Black coach Henry on misconduct charge
• Ice queen Nicol into British Open quarters
• Australia to consider following ban on anchor putters
• Intxausti wins 16th stage, Nibali still keeps pink jersey
• Indonesia drawn to meet China again – in knockout stage
• Results worldwide
• Malacca sprinter Mohd Azam Masri out to create history by winning five events in MSSM meet
• Athletics runs in the veins of Vallabouy family
• Chinese long jumper Jinzhe claims another Olympic scalp
• Dane Jorgensen’s wish is to avoid Chinese ace Lin Dan in World Championships
• National badminton team’s lack of depth a glaring factor in home tourney
• Khim Wah-V Shem perform above expectations in Sudirman Cup debut
• Jindapon aims to qualify for 2016 Olympics
• Kenichi’s goal is to take Japan into Sudirman Cup semi-finals
• Dong-keun shows he’s a capable replacement

• Please wait.

• Actress’ barking pet saves her from attacker in late night incident
• Colleges challenge new conditions set by registrar
• Tian Chua, Haris Ibrahim, Tamrin Ghafar to spend the night in lockup (Update)
• Transport Ministry reveals new FT registration plate to start with W1A
• What comes after WYY?
• In China, food scares put Mao's self-sufficiency goal at risk
• Verdict ends three years of restlessness for family, says Sosilawati's daughter
• All four accused guilty in murder of Sosilawati Lawiya and three others (Update)
• Chromebook to help rural pupils leapfrog into parity with urban peers
• Astro and Maxis to deliver new-age TV service in Klang Valley