PM makes rare interjection in Parliament

KUALA LUMPUR: Debate on the Felda White Paper saw rigorous participation from MPs on both sides, including a rare interjection from the Prime Minister himself.

Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian) claimed that Felda had always been profitable and only suffered losses after Pakatan Harapan took over the government.

He went on to present about 10 points to improve and revive Felda, and among these was to bring industries into Felda areas so that settlers need not move out.

A bemused Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad then stood up and calmly interjected.

“As the lawmaker for Langkawi, I am amazed by the fairy tales being presented,” he said.

“What I am puzzled is why didn’t he (Ahmad) tell all of this to his former bossku (a term coined by followers to describe former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak) so we will not have problems and there will not be any White Paper on the matter. “Everything is all clean. “However, these penyangak-penyangak (crooks) have left their marks and that is what we are left to clean up,” said Dr Mahathir.

He also questioned that if Felda’s FGV had made huge profits, then where did the billions go.

“Please show us where the money is,” he said.

To this, Ahmad said he was flattered that the Prime Minister himself had interjected during his debate. He, however, responded that he did not wish to pick a bone with Dr Mahathir.

“Of the many human beings I know, the one I do not want to be controversial with is Langkawi,” said Ahmad.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on the other hand, wants an explanation as to how Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad spent RM140mil which he claimed included overseas trips with family members.

The Port Dickson lawmaker said this was “unreasonable and illogical. I want an explanation on this matter”.

“Is it also true that the former Felda and Felda Global Ventures Bhd (FGV) chairman and 53 companies under it received windfall, income and allowances of more than RM2mil a year?” he said.

Anwar said the government should not only look at the debts of settlers, but also the mistakes made by the previous top management.

He said though it was agreed that settlers would have to repay their debts, it was not entirely their fault.

“The office of the Felda and FGV chairman is apparently three or four times better than the Prime Minister’s office,” said Anwar.

“I urge the Prime Minister to personally visit the office himself; maybe he can switch his office there.

“The money is actually the settlers’ money, and the settlers have to eventually pay for it.

“If it is true that they spent RM140mil for the chairman a year, bringing his family here and there ... why must the settlers pay for all this?”