Felda fiasco: Tan goes to MACC, Zaid weighs in too
By Patrick Lee, Free Malaysia Today
KUALA LUMPUR: PKR’s Tan Kee Kwong today lodged a report at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commision (MACC) over the alleged loss of Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) cash reserves.
Accompanied by Klang MP Charles Santiago and Senator S Ramakrishnan, Tan, the former deputy minister of land and cooperatives made the report at the MACC office in Kuala Lumpur.
Tan, who is also the deputy chairman of PKR’s International Affairs Bureau, had accused Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak of destroying Felda in an open letter on the June 6.
He alleged that through Najib’s ‘mismanagement’ Felda’s cash reserves had dwindled to RM200 million from a healthy RM4billion plus.
“Crude palm oil prices are high,” Tan told FMT at a press conference after lodging the report. “One metric ton (in palm oil) would probably fetch Felda about RM1,500 in profit.
“It simply doesn’t make sense! The reserves should have gone up to RM6 billion! When Pak Lah (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) first came into power, Najib offered to be in charge of Felda.
“Najib had used the excuse of ‘continuing a family tradition’ by taking over the department. In 2004, he was not only the deputy prime minister, but also the minister of defence.
“How come he had so much time on his hands to manage all these portfolios and also Felda?” asked Tan.
Tan also disputed deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Ahmad Maslan’s claim that Felda used RM2 billion of its cash reserves to replant its crops.
Tan rubbished this by explaining that a specific ‘Replanting Fund’ exists for this, and that it was separate from Felda’s main cash reserve.
“An oil palm tree needs to be replanted after every 25 to 30 years,” said Tan. “Out of every fresh bunch of palm oil [harvested], settlers get money from Felda.
“According to market price, a sum of RM3 to RM5 from each metric ton is then deducted.”
As a result of this deduction, Tan estimated that each of the 113,000 Felda settlers would have up to RM18,000 for replanting purposes.
“When an oil palm tree needs to be replanted, the settler uses his own money to replant. So where did Maslan get this RM2 billion figure from?”
