'Felda DG's removal may lead to voter backlash'

Anak, the PAS-led NGO fighting for the rights of Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) settlers, has warned that the removal of the agency's director-general (DG) Dzulkifli Wahab may result in a backlash against the BN.

"This is not good for the (federal) ruling coalition... There are 23,000 employees who are close to Dzulkifli,” Anak head Mazlan Aliman toldMalaysiakini.

"He is respected by the settlers. 

"If there is a protest, it may bode ill for the BN (as the settlers have been deemed to constitute a major portion of BN's vote-bank thus far)."

Mazlan said it would be ill-advised for the BN to continue letting Felda chairperson Mohd Isa Samad do as he pleases with the agency.

He urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to intervene and return the stewardship of Felda to professional officers, to prevent actions that disturb the harmony in the agency.

Anak has claimed that Mohd Isa (left)and his confidantes have turned Felda into their personal fiefdom and are getting away with questionable decisions like the listing of Felda Global Ventures Bhd and running down officers who are critical of their plans.

Having been sent on an extended study leave shortly after Mohd Isa took over as chairperson, Dzulkifli is scheduled to be seconded to the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Ministry, for a posting in Rome if he accepts it.

Last week, Mohd Isa had described this as part of the routine career process and does not amount to putting Dzulkifli in 'cold storage' as some have claimed.

Anak has since countered that it has evidence that Dzulkifli's removal was precisely because he had questioned Mohd Isa's plans. It plans to expose details next week.