ANAK challenges minister to prove claim over Felda listing

Nov 16: Whistleblower group Felda Settlers’ Children Association or ANAK has challenged minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Ahmad Maslan to prove his claim that the listing of Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH) on Bursa Malaysia would not affect settlers’ lands.

“I challenge him (Ahmad) as a responsible minister to deny it, as we have evidences to show that among the assets to be sacrificed is Felda Plantation’s 360,000 hectares of land,” said ANAK chairman Mazlan Aliman at the parliament lobby yesterday.

Amid growing skepticism among settlers in the listing plan, Ahmad had assured Felda settlers that they would stand to gain with FGVH's listing by mid-2012.

“They will continue to enjoy what they are receiving now, and not only that, they will get even more profits. We also will not touch their land,” he said.

Mazlan however doubted the assurance from Ahmad, and questioned the rational to mortgage the lands.

“Just imagine the income from these lands are not less than RM2,000 million a year, now the mortgage is only RM251 million, which means Felda will lose at least 80 percent of their real income from the land,” he stressed.

Mazlan also questioned the government’s approach in mortgaging the lands as not all lands in Felda Plantation were under the jurisdiction of the Federal government, including Terengganu.

On Felda chairman Isa Samad’s controversial 'self-appointment' as Felda Cooperative chairman, Mazlan said a protest letter would be sent to prime minister Najib Razak on December 20.

--Harakahdaily