The Malaysian Insight

FELDA Global Ventures Holdings Berhad (FGV) should be sacking the chairman Isa Samad instead of rather than the president and chief executive officer Zakaria Arshad, said Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (Anak) today.

Anak chairman Mazlan Aliman said Isa had been a liability to FGV from the day he became chairman in 2011, while Zakaria, in contrast, had reduced FGV’s operational costs.

“Zakaria, who is a second generation Felda settler, should have been given a chance to realise his vision. Ever since he took over the reins at FGV, he has successfully reduced administrative costs,” said Mazlan.

Mazlan claimed Zakaria was suspended because he refused to follow Isa’s orders blindly.

Mazlan said it was unjustifiable to make Zakaria and three others go on leave over late payment from an Afghan company as business deals with companies from Afghanistan were inherently risky due to the unrest in the country.

Zakaria, along with group chief financial officer Ahmad Tifli Mohd Talha and two others in FGV, was ordered today to go on leave pending an investigation into a late payment from Afghan company Safitex to FGV subsidiary Delima Oil Products Sdn Bhd (DOP).

Zakaria has denied any wrongdoing and called for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate FGV, prompting Felda chairman Isa Samad to respond with a press conference this afternoon in which he declared the MACC would receive FGV’s full cooperation should it decide to launch a probe into the plantation company. – June 6, 2017.