Felda goes further afield, tapping into the lifestyle segment for all
Menara Felda turns 10 this weekend, and the focus isn’t just on celebrating the decade-long milestone for the Federal Land Development Authority’s headquarters in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
It could very well mark the evolution of Felda, as a lifestyle brand for the masses.
The brainchild of this, is Felda chairman, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek. Since assuming office in July 2023, he has been kept busy with the inner workings of Felda and its very many subsidiaries. After all, the national brand cuts across various sectors – from plantation to dairy products, and hotel management.
During a recent meeting with his staff, Ahmad Shabery mentioned that he had wanted to redefine Menara Felda, ensuring the open spaces in and outside of the 50-storey corporate office tower become a hub of activities, regularly.
He shared that during his first week in office, he met with the developer of Platinum Park, that also manages the buildings in the area, and voiced his intention of “turning the downstairs area alive”.
Platinum Park is an integrated mixed development by Naza TTDI Sdn Bhd.
“Why not have events, sales ... like in Dublin or Sydney, where certain areas come alive with people selling art pieces, food. The developer was excited and took the suggestion seriously,” said Ahmad Shabery.
But the idea goes beyond turning Menara Felda into a hip and happening place.
“Felda is not just about sawit (oil palm). It’s about a lifestyle. Menara Felda can be an event space. We can have food trucks till late at night. We can become the anchor for such an initiative.”
Taking it to a new level, Ahmad Shabery and the staff at Felda are looking at a busy weekend, that will snowball into a gruelling few months.
This is because Felda is not going to just celebrate Hari Peneroka (Settlers’ Day) 2024 which is usually celebrated on July 7. Felda is preparing for a huge carnival, ‘Karnival Segalanya Felda’, that will showcase the company’s strengths across various industries. The aim is for more people to appreciate Felda products and the work of its settlers, while acquainting potential investors with the very many opportunities Felda and its subsidiaries have to offer.
This weekend’s event, which starts today and ends on Sunday, will provide a sneak peek into the mega carnival, and the plans to rejuvenate Menara Felda.
Ahmad Shabery is no stranger to initiating big events. During his time as Agriculture and Agro-based Industry minister, Ahmad Shabery oversaw the 2016 Malaysia Agriculture Horticulture and Agrotourism exhibition at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS). The exhibition attracted four million visitors, with agricultural produce sales and signings worth RM380 million.
A similar set-up will be put in place at the ‘Karnival Segalanya Felda’, scheduled for July 12-14 at MAEPS. That edition of the carnival is expected to attract more than 500,000 visitors, including the 100,000-odd settlers from the various Felda territories nationwide.
More than 37 events will be held at the carnival – from a food festival, to a talent competition that is set to provide back stories to Felda settlers and their family members.
The days of when Hari Peneroka is only for the settlers are over. Felda’s plan is now to get more people involved in the celebration.
This could hopefully, be the new beginning for Felda as its explores new ways to stay relevant and continuously create opportunities, with the end result of ensuring the lives and welfare of its biggest stakeholders – the settlers – are taken care of.
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