Felda reshuffles senior management

By G. Manimaran

December 20, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 — Felda’s senior management is undergoing a reshuffle less than two weeks after the company told its general manager Datuk Dzulkifli Abdul Wahab to take study leave for nine months.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Felda has sent deputy general manager for community development Abidin Abd Rahman, who will retire in a few months, to the Public Service Department (PSD).

Abidin is also the secretary of the Koperasi Permodalan Felda (KPF), while Dzulkifli was chairman before being replaced by Felda chairman Tan Sri Isa Samad.

It is understood there will be many more changes to the senior management line-up following a Felda board meeting.

“Felda deputy general manager Abidin Abd Rahman is the victim (now). He was sent to Putrajaya and put in cold storage even though he retires in June. The letter hasn’t arrived but he has been informed orally,” a source told The Malaysian Insider.

Another source said: “I understand there will be many more changes after this at the senior management level. There are efforts to bring in those who are friendly to Tan Sri Isa.”

This is the first time Felda has undergone such a large-scale management revamp since it was formed over four decades ago, the source added.

“We don’t know the purpose of these steps but it is believed to be related to the listing of Felda Global Ventures (FGVH) on Bursa Malaysia next year,” the source said.

The source added that the extent of the revamp would be known after a board meeting expected in the next two days.

Last week, the Felda Workers Union said it will meet with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to discuss Dzulkifli’s leave.

Cuepacs president Datuk Omar Osman said he was surprised Dzulkifli was asked to leave at a time when Felda still needed him.

“KPF will submit a letter to Datuk Seri Najib through Cuepacs on this matter (and) to set up a meeting with the prime minister,” he said.

Omar added that Cuepacs was prepared to play the role of mediator to help resolve the issue.

FGVH, the commercial arm of Felda, will be listed on the bourse by the middle of next year as the world’s largest listed plantation entity.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had announced the listing in his Budget 2012 speech.

But the proposal has met with opposition from PAS-aligned National Association of Settlers (Anak), which claims the listing will shortchange some 200,000 settlers tilling the land in Felda schemes across the nation.

Under the listing proposal, settlers will swap their 51 per cent stake in Felda Holdings — which made RM760 million last year — for a 61 per cent stake in FGVH, whose international subsidiaries lost some RM500 million up to 2010.

Anak has threatened to hold mass protests next month if the FGVH listing goes ahead.