NABAWAN: Sabah Land Development Authority (SLDB) paid RM21 million in accumulated dividends to 7,000 settlers and participants last year.
Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor, who was satisfied with the performance of SLDB, said last year’s dividend was a very good achievement recorded in the last three years.
“SLDB’s accumulated dividend distribution performance in 2021 to settlers and participants totalled RM21 million, compared to just RM3.4 million in 2020. The dividends have been paid on a monthly and quarterly basis throughout 2021.
“As of the first quarter of this year, SLDB has paid a dividend of RM5 million, compared to the 2022 budget estimate of RM3.4 million,” he said at a Ramadan Iftar with the Chief Minister event held at the Al-Hidayah Mosque, Tuesday.
Hajiji, who is also State Finance Minister, said for this year, SLDB aims to give a dividend of RM17 million to the settlers and participants. He said the main factor contributing to the 2021 achievement was the increase in palm oil production of 68,000 metric tonnes in 2021, compared to 53,000 metric tonnes in 2020, apart from increasing palm oil prices.
Hajiji wants SLDB to continue to play an important role in helping to eradicate poverty among the rural communities and improve their socio-economic status through agro-based land development.
SLDB is currently implementing land development and oil palm replanting throughout Sabah, involving an area of 38,000 hectares, with oil palm plantations and a small portion of rubber. The socio-project has benefited almost 7,000 households of the B40 group and about 28,000 households comprising the wives and children of settlers and participants.
“This is being done by state agencies and government-linked companies (GLCs). The Government hopes the GLCs can contribute a total of RM200 million in dividends to the State Government,” said Hajiji.
He said the State Government would use the income from the dividends to build and improve various infrastructure facilities for the people.
He said the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional (GRS-BN) State Government is committed to developing the people and Sabah through its Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Sabah (SMJ), which is in line with its manifesto and Aku Janji pledge in the last State Election.
“The important thing is to continue to be united, strengthen our understanding and cooperation, and fortify the GRS-BN Government. Insya-Allah, we will win in style in the next General Election (GE),” he said.
During the event, Hajiji also handed over food baskets and duit raya to the asnaf (underprivileged), rice to SLDB participants in Nabawan district, a contribution of RM2,000 to Masjid Al-Hidayah Nabawan and a symbolic handing over of settlers’ income and dividend payments to SLDB participants in 2021.
Also present were Youth and Sports Minister and Sook Assemblyman, Datuk Ellron Angin, Deputy National Unity Minister, Senator Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, Assistant Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister and Tulid Assemblywoman, Flovia Ng, Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, Datuk Wetrom Bahanda, SLDB Chairman and Nabawan Assemblyman, Datuk Abdul Ghani Mohd Yassin, Kemabong ASsemblyman, Datuk Rubin Balang, Sabah Foundation Director, Datuk Haji Ghulam Haidarkhan Bahadar, Limbahau Assemblyman, Datuk Juil Nuatim and SLDB General Manager, Syaheddrul R Joddari.
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