Isa Samad not listed as executive chairman in FICSB, court told
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad was not an executive chairman of the company’s subsidiary Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (FICSB), the High Court heard.
This was revealed by a former joint co-secretary for FICSB from Symphony Corporatehouse Sdn Bhd, who was the ninth prosecution witness in the former Felda chairman’s RM3 million criminal breach of trust (CBT) and corruption trial.
Cheong Choon Yin, 48, said according to Form 49 under the Companies Act 2016 dated July 2, 2013, Isa’s business occupation was stated only as chairman.
She said the business occupation column in the form referred to Isa’s general position and not his position in FICSB or in any other company.
She added that the form did not recognise Isa as the executive chairman.
“As a joint co-secretary for FICSB, I never attended the company’s board of directors meeting.
“To my knowledge, in general, a non-executive chairman must be elected from the board of directors.
“The powers entrusted to Isa should have been recorded in the minutes of the FICSB meeting and should be decided through the board’s resolution,” she said.
Earlier, former FICSB secretary Shahniza Anom Elias, 51, testified that Isa was one of FICSB’s board of directors.
She said throughout her tenure at the Felda subsidiary, the board of directors comprised Isa, Datuk Faizoull Ahmad, Datuk Dr Omar Salim, Datuk Noor Eshanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid, Mohd Zaid Abdul Jalil, Datuk Nik Azman Mohd Zain and Datuk Hanapi Suhada.
Trial continues before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali today.
On Dec 14 last year, Isa pleaded not guilty to one count of CBT by approving the purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel and Suites without the approval from Felda board of directors on April 29, 2014.
The former Umno vice-president also faces nine counts of receiving bribes totalling more than RM3 million from Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd’s director Ikhwan Zaidel between July 2014 and December 2015.