If FGV land is given to a tycoon, Pakatan will be traitors, says activist

SHAH ALAM: If land belonging to Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) is given to a chosen tycoon and not returned to Felda settlers, Pakatan Harapan will be seen as traitors to the same voters who put them in Putrajaya, says Datuk Mazlan Aliman.

The Felda NGOs Consensus Council (MPNF) chairman said he was speaking on behalf of two million Felda settlers nationwide, adding that it was the votes from Felda settlers who were angry over the FGV scandal that helped to oust the Barisan Nasional government.

"I beg for Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad not to hand over FGV to this tycoon.

"It was this issue that destroyed the previous government. Now there is another attempt to take over the interests of the 350,000ha of land belonging to FGV by a third party instead of returning it to Felda settlers," said Mazlan, who was speaking at the winding-up session of the Amanah AGM here on Sunday (Dec 8).

"When Pakatan won, I met Tun Daim Zainuddin and I suggested that the land be returned to Felda settlers. Until today, there has been no response and now I discover that FGV will be offered to a tycoon.

"I have written a letter to Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh to consider this request not to hand over FGV to a third party but return it to the Felda settlers instead," Mazlan claimed.

In his letter to the Felda chairman, dated Dec 8, which he said he would also forward to the Prime Minister, Mazlan said that Felda – as the biggest shareholder in FGV – should be concerned over this possible third party takeover.

"This takoever will put the assets of the settlers and Felda at risk, especially the 350,000ha of land, palm oil factories and other related businesses, as it will go to people who have no connection to Felda.

"The Felda settlers went through a dark period when FGV was mismanaged.

"If FGV is given to a third party, this will destroy the hopes of the settlers," stated the letter, which was also forwarded to Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

FGV – once the world's third largest oil palm plantation operator – was involved in a massive scandal that has been likened to that of 1MDB's, involving billions of ringgit.

Among the allegations were high levels of corruption, controversial transactions and lavish pay for FGV directors.

The directors are currently being tried in the courts on charges of abuse of power and corruption.- Star