FGV Holdings seeks to strike out counterclaim by five formers senior officers

KUALA LUMPUR: FGV Holdings Berhad has filed an application to strike out the counterclaim by five former FGV non-executive directors against the company over the losses suffered in the acquisition of Asia Plantation Ltd (APL) in 2014.

Counsel Fahda Nur Ahmad Kamar who is representing the five individuals when met by reporters said apart from FGV, also filling a similar application were 10 individuals comprising FGV chairman as well as nonindependent directors and nonexecutive directors.

The five individuals were earlier suit by FGV to claim RM514 million on the losses arising from the takeover or alternatively compensation for losses from APL takeover.

They are Tan Sri Ismee Ismail, Tan Sri Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah, Tan Sri Sulaiman Mahbob, Datuk Nozirah Bahari and Datuk Fazlur Rahman Ebrahim.

Fahda said FGV and the 10 individuals should have filed their replies on the counterclaim yesterday but they failed to do so.

"We were also informed that the application to strike out the counterclaim had been filed and we have received the application today,” said the lawyer after attending a case proceeding in the chambers of High Court deputy registrar Farah Shuhada Ramli and FGV lawyer Ang Hean Leng was also present.

The court set April 23 for case management before Judge Datuk Azimah Omar.

The five individuals as plaintiff filed their counterclaim on Feb 11 by naming the company involved and 10 others comprising FGV chairman, as well as nonindependent directors and nonexecutive directors as defendants.

The 10 individuals are Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid, Mohd Hassan Ahmad, Datuk Dr Othman Omar, Dr Mohamed Nazeeb P. Alithambi, Datuk Dr Salmiah Ahmad, Datin Hoi Lai Peng, Datuk Yusli Mohamed Yusoff, Dr Nesadurai Kalanithi, Datuk Mohd Anwar Yahya dan Datuk Mohamed Suffian Awang.