Isa’s appointment as Felda chief reveals scale of BN’s failure

Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, the former Menteri besar of Negri Sembilan will take up his new appointment as chairperson of the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) on 1 January 2011.

In 2005, he was convicted of ‘money politics’ and had to relinquish all party posts.

The seven corruption charges of money politics and vote-buying which the UMNO Disciplinary Board found against Isa were:

1. Allowed his political secretary Mohd Salim Sharif to pay RM300 to each delegate from the Telok Kemang division to the Umno General Assembly on or about September 2004

2. Allowed his agents to pay various amounts of money to delegates from the Cameron Highlands, Kuala Lipis and Bentong divisons to the UMNO General Assembly on September 11.

3. Allowed his agents to pay RM1,000 each to delegates to the Umno General Assembly at the Crown Princess Hotel at 11 pm on September 22 and the morning of September 23.

4. Permitted his agents to pay RM1,000 each to delegates to the Umno General Assembly at or about 1 am on Sept 23 at the Pan Pacific Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

5. Allowed his agents to pay various sums of money to Sabah delegates to the Umno General Assembly about 1 am on Sept 23 at the Legend Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

6. Allowed his agents to pay RM300 to Sabah Umno delegates at the Tanjung Aru Golf Club and the ‘Kandarah” Court, both of which are in Sabah in early September.

7. Allowed his agents to pay RM300 to Kedah Umno delegates at Holiday Villa Hotel, Alor Star and Kelab Cinta Sayang, Sungai Petani around two to three weeks before the 2004 Umno General Assembly.

When Mohd Isa was nominated as a candidate for the Batang Pinang state-by-election, former Prime minister Mahathir Mohamad disapproved of Mohd Isa’s nomination because Mohd Isa was guilty of political corruption. He expressed concern that Umno's image would be affected because it would then be viewed as not being serious about fighting money politics.

He said, “Tan Sri Isa has already been found guilty. If Umno fields him, it means that Umno is not serious about such cases. Even if he can win there, (we) have to consider what the whole of Malaysia thinks of Umno”.

Najib’s poor choice of candidate to lead FELDA is like asking the wolf to guard the sheep. His decision is a blatant disregard for the views of the public. He is only paying lip service to democracy and is guilty of making empty promises about eradicating corruption.

Najib is not just bankrupt of ideas, because his administration is also bankrupt of talented people.

FELDA started back in the 1950s when Najib’s father, Abdul Razak, Malaysia’s first deputy prime minister and second prime minister, wanted to eradicate poverty.

In July 1956, the Land Development Act 1956 come into force and gave birth to Felda. Abdul Razak’s dream was for the poor to have land and productively develop them to get a decent source of income.

Najib has shown poor judgement and a lack of integrity by putting a corrupt politician who was disgraced and stripped of party posts to head FELDA.

Back then, Abdul Razak wanted the poor to have a decent income. With Mohd Isa in charge, the poor will remain poor whilst Mohd Isa makes money off them.

How ironic that in the 21st Century, 54 years after the birth of FELDA, the son, Najib, is instrumental in undoing all the good work his father, Abdul Razak, had painstakingly assembled.

Malaysia must be the only place on earth where disgraced politicians can actually boost their careers. - Malaysian Chronicle