FGV ‘BAD HATS’ URGED TO RESIGN

MACC must act against those who tarnish Felda and FGV’s image, says Umno Supreme Council member

ZAFIRA ANWAR

AND ZARINA ZAKARIAH KUALA LUMPUR news@nst.com.my

INEFFECTUAL Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) personnel are being urged to relinquish their positions voluntarily and leave the company with dignity.

Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said FGV must conduct a thorough “cleansing” to weed out bad hats, as they would only burden the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, citing the public spat between the company’s former chairman and president as an example.

“Once again, do not trouble the prime minister... Do not wait until the government or those in the higher leadership take action against them. Resign immediately,” he said in a Facebook posting on Tuesday.

FGV’s share price would be affected if the company was perceived negatively, he said. He said the chairmen of Felda and FGV must be given the opportunity to lead their teams for the benefit of the people.

Puad, who is also the Special Affairs Department directorgeneral, also called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to take immediate action against those who had tarnished Felda and FGV’s image.

FGV has issued a clarification on the resignation of board members Datuk Omar Salim and Datuk Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid. Acting FGV chairman Tan Sri Sulaiman Mahbob said they had expressed their intentions to resign several weeks ago.

“Upon considering the state of affairs of the company and the way forward that has been accepted by the government and FGV on June 19, which are ‘to improve FGV’s corporate governance and business controls’ and undertake a comprehensive business review’ as well as ‘uphold the integrity and spirit of impartiality of the ongoing inquiry’, I had requested members of the board to stay on.”

On July 10, a Malay language daily reported that FGV could see more changes to its board, with three of its directors being dropped to make way for Federal Land Development Authority representatives.

Noor Ehsanuddin was appointed an independent nonexecutive director of FGV on July 16, 2013. He is also the member of parliament for Kota Tinggi. Omar was appointed to the FGV board as a non-independent non-executive director on Sept 27, 2010.

He was with the Prime Minister’s Office as well as an assistant director in the Public Service Department and a director of the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit. He is heading a unit in Unit Kawal Selia Felda in the Prime Minister’s Department.

Do not wait until the government or those in the higher leadership take action against them. DATUK DR MOHD PUAD ZARKASHI Umno Supreme Council member