Preliminary Felda Report to Be Released This Week – PM

SHAH ALAM: A preliminary report on issues related to Felda’s management and governance will begin to be made public this week.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the disclosure was important to address questions surrounding allegations of abuse of power and losses suffered by the agency.

“Next week, the preliminary report on Felda will begin to be released. Some say this is revenge, but what revenge? What abuse of power?

“Can I speak to the prosecutor or give my views to the judge? No. Ask the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice has full independence and authority to make decisions,” he said during his speech at the Reformist Pioneers Reunion Hi-Tea on Sunday.

Anwar was previously reported as saying that the report would be published once its preparation was completed, and expressed hope that the public would scrutinise it in the same way as the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH).

He said the release of the report was part of the Unity Government’s efforts to rectify weaknesses and administrative shortcomings that had occurred previously.

Elaborating, Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the government had to allocate about RM980 million annually to cover payments related to Felda’s debts arising from losses incurred in the past.

He said the government had taken on the responsibility to ensure that the burden would not be borne by Felda settlers.

“Recently, I met Felda managers and found that their houses were in poor condition and had not been repaired for decades.

“So, I had to approve RM450 million to repair all Felda managers’ houses nationwide,” he said.

Sinar Harian