Dumbfounded over Felda's RM6 bil injection from EPF

KUALA LUMPUR - Whistleblower group Felda Settler Children’s Association (ANAK) wants the government to explain why Felda made a RM6 billion loan from Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

Its chairman Mazlan Aliman said if the report was not true, the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Ahmad Maslan must issue a denial.

“The report received by ANAK two weeks ago through the minutes of meeting on April 6 had stated that Felda had made a loan from EPF totaling RM6 billion. What is the purpose of this loan?" he asked at a press conference at PAS headquarters here yesterday.

Mazlan said the loan only proved allegations that Felda was suffering serious financial crisis, although government ministers claimed that the body had continued to make profits and was 'second only to Petronas'.

Mazlan reminded that the issue of Felda’s dwindling cash reserve had yet to be resolved.

“When questioned in Parliament... Ahmad Maslan acknowledged that Felda’s financial position had eroded from RM4.08 billion in 2004 to RM1.35 billion in 2009.

"The drop of RM2.73 billion in the span of five years is shocking,” he added.

No action on police report

Mazlan recalled that the government then had defended Felda by giving a breakdown of its investments. This included RM2 billion spent on crop replantation, RM662 million for the controversial Felda office building, RM603 million for housing loans and RM253 million for Sabah Poverty Fund.

“Although police report was made so that investigation into the usage of the money can be done to erase doubts on the transparency of Felda’s financial management, nothing has been forthcoming from the police,” he lamented.

At the same press conference, Mazlan demanded to know the status of settlers’ children who pursued their studies at the Malaysia Airlines Engineering Training Centre (METC).

“How much is the actual cost for each METC student? What kind of license will they get, European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) or British Civil aviation Regulation (BCAR)?

"Is it true that the cost borne by Felda is too expensive?” he asked, adding that ANAK was informed that Felda had paid METC some RM260,000 for each student to attend the course.

- Harakahdaily