Abe Jek wants to resolve housing issue for second-generation Felda settlers in Kemahang

TANAH MERAH - Felda Kemahang, here, which was established in the 1970s, needs several improvements including solving the housing issue for second-generation settlers as well as creating more job opportunities for the group.

The housing issue, in particular, is complicated in Felda as the land in the area comes under the jurisdiction of the state government.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Kemahang state seat, Mazli Mustafa, said he would fight for those two things if he was given the mandate to represent the people in the area come Aug 12.

"If I’m given the opportunity to helm the Kemahang state seat and BN and our coalition partner Pakatan Harapan (PH) are elected to lead the state administration, God willing, we will try to ensure that the second-generation settlers have a better place to live in," he said when met here yesterday.

Mazli, who is affectionately known as ‘Abe Jek’, said most of the second-generation settlers currently lived with their parents or rented a house around the Felda area.

"I am made to understand that the housing project for the second generation in Felda has been approved, but no construction was carried out after the 14th General Election (GE14).

"Currently, BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) are leading the Federal government, so there are high hopes to ensure that the construction project gets moving again," he said.

According to Abe Jek, Felda Kemahang 1, Felda Kemahang 2 and Felda Kemahang 3 are estimated to have more than 1,000 heads of households.

Meanwhile, second-generation Felda settler Siti Nur Ain Ismail, 32, said six of her 12 siblings still lived with their parents.

"Each family here has at least five children. Most of them among the second generation work in the Felda area and live with their families.

"We want the government to pay attention to this matter so that there is a more conducive place to live for the second generation of Felda," she said.

In the upcoming polls, Abe Jek will face PAS candidate Maj (Rtd) Datuk Md Anizam Ab Rahman, who has been the Kemahang assemblyman since GE11. The state constituency has 23,258 registered voters. - BERNAMA