Anak refutes Isa's claim on Felda DG's removal

Pro-settlers rights NGO Anak has refuted an explanation by Federal Land Development Authority chairperson Mohd Isa Samad that the transfer of director-general Dzulkifli Wahab was a "regular career move".

"All the goings on in Felda of late - and which have resulted in the chaos that is threatening the harmony of the agency - originate from Mohd Isa and his cronies," Anak chairperson Mazlan Aliman (left) toldMalaysiakini today, laughing off Isa's recent explanation.

Mazlan repeated his accusation that Mohd Isa and his confidantes have made Felda their personal fief and are running down good officers like Dzulkifli, who have not been supportive of  Mohd Isa's “questionable plans” for the federal agency.

He was asked to respond to Mohd Isa's explanation to English daily The Malay Mail last week.

Isa had said that Dzulkifli's removal from his post was part of normal career development process, that he had been given a "good posting" and was far from being sent into ‘cold-storage’ in Rome as some have claimed.

""The decision to transfer Dzulkifli was made by the board of directors. It was nothing personal," Mohd Isa reportedly said.

Claiming that he has documentary proof of the actual reason for Dzulkifli's dismissal and relocation to a foreign posting under the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Ministry, Mazlan said Anak will hold a press conference on Sept 10 to expose the whole affair.

While he declined to divulge details, he said that, despite Mohd Isa's claims of a cushy posting, the transfer - if accepted by Dzulkifli who is currently abroad - will result in downgrade of his civil service pay grade from Turus 2 to N54.

Soon after Mohd Isa took office as chairperson, Dzulkifli was told to go abroad on study leave apparently to gather knowledge to assist in Felda's transformation.

Dzukifli was not the only officer critical of Mohd Isa's plans for Felda to have suddenly faced a “regular career move”.

In March, Koperasi Permodalan Felda secretary Abidin Abd Rahman was transferred to a librarian’s post at the Prime Minister's Department.

Project in Pengerang

Mohd Isa today confirmed that Felda Global Ventures Bhd will look to get involved in the development of Petronas' Rapid petroleum refinery project in Pengerang, Johor, to capitalise on nearly 800 hectares of land it owns there.

He said the first part of the project will involve the use of an abandoned training institute in Pengerang, to provide training related to job skills needed in the Rapid project, for children of Felda settlers.

The second part will involve direct real estate development that may involve large-scale developments that may even result in the creation of a new Felda township.

He was speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur after overseeing the signing of a joint venture agreement between restaurant operator KFC and Felda to engage in commercial chicken rearing.