Felda plans 768.90ha township near RM60bil Rapid project

MERSING: Felda is now in the final stage of drafting an integrated township development project in Pengerang, in the Kota Tinggi district near the Petronas Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development or Rapid complex.

Chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad said the layout plan of the proposed project was awaiting the Felda board of directors' approval.

“We hope to do it (submit the plan for the state government's approval) in the first quarter of 2013, and start the project probably in the second half of next year,'' he said.

Isa said the proposed township development would be sited on a 768.90ha and priority would be given to Felda settlers to purchase the residential and commercial properties.

He said the balance of the properties would be offered to other buyers, including the oil and gas companies planning to set up their operations in Rapid.

The RM60bil Rapid complex is located in southeast Johor and its proposed 300,000-barrels-per-day crude oil refinery capacity is larger than the combined capacity of Petronas' existing refineries in Malacca, Kertih and Gebeng.

“We are upbeat on the property market in the Pengerang in the years to come, as the oil and gas-related activities will create demand for houses,'' Isa told reporters after launching Projek Sentuhan Kasih Felda, an affordable housing scheme, at Felda Tenggaroh 3 here yesterday.

The scheme comprising single-storey bungalows with a built-up area of 1,000 sq ft and a land size of 3,000 sq ft priced between RM60,000 and RM80,000 each is specially tailored for the children of first-generation Felda settlers. To qualify for the scheme, applicants must reside and work with the Felda group or run a micro-sized or small business within the settlements nationwide.

For a start, Felda has chosen Felda Tenggaroh 3, Felda Chini Timur 2 in Pahang and Felda Tenang Besut, Terengganu for the affordable housing scheme with 100 houses each. The three projects have a combined gross development value of RM120mil.

“We are planning to build 20,000 houses under the scheme in our settlements within the next five years,'' said Isa.

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/12/27/business/12506766&sec=business