NGO: Felcra project possibly bigger Cowgate

An NGO has alleged irregularities in a Felcra cattle project that it alleges could be another bogus project aimed at “misappropriating funds meant for poverty alleviation”.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, chairperson of the PAS-linked Badan Bertindak Peserta Felcra Kebangsaan  (Bapa) Razman Haji Zakaria highlighted problems with the project involving the setting up of 17 cattle farms nationwide, after a pilot in Seberang Perak at the end of 2008.

According to news reports of the time, he said, the project when completed would involve construction costs totalling RM5.1 million and the supply of 2,000 calves per farm, totalling RM18 million for the 17 farms.

The project had boasted that it would earn its 92,000 participants an additional income of RM500 - RM1,000 per month, that amounts to RM552 - RM1,104 million annually for the entire project.

However, Razman said when he visited the pilot farm in Seberang recently, that was supposed to have begun operations in early 2009 with 800 cows, he only found 10 - 15 being reared, calling the project a “failure”.

Felcra, he said, had however trumpeted the pilot as a success and had gone on to launch the project in 2010 with the construction of the 17 farms.

“Do these farms really exist?” asked Razman.

Dividends not paid out

Furthermore, Harakah in 2009 reported that then Bapa chaiperson Akmaluddin Mohd. Noor had complained to the PAS organ that Felcra had not paid its participants the additional RM500 - RM1,000 per month promised, 10 months into the project.

Doing the math, he estimated the entire project cost, from supplying of calves to construction and the promised additional returns to the participants, to exceed RM953,454,200 a year.

“If (Felcra’s) allocation for the project is only RM18 million, then it can be predicted that the project has failed from the beginning,” he said.

“On this basis, that Akmaluddin had said, ‘This is what I call a most impossible project by (Felcra chairperson) Tajuddin Abdul Rahman,’ is most accurate,” he said.

Razman added that in November 2009 during Hari Raya Korban Felcra had purchased 45 cows for the festival for a number of Umno leaders, recorded in Felcra’s accounts as the entertainment cost of its chairperson.

“I suggest Felcra participants lodge a police report on this matter,” he said, adding that they should pay the 17 farms a visit to see for themselves how many cows were being raised.

“Or perhaps is this another bogus Umno-BN project aimed at misappropriating funds meant for poverty alleviation?” he said.