KUALA LUMPUR: More than 30 second generation Felda settlers gathered today to throw their weight behind embattled chief Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGV) Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Zakaria Arshad.
The settlers, who hail from Felda Palong 1, Gedangsa and Soeharto, urged FGV chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad to step down and for his post to be filled by Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Samad.
They also claimed that the crisis plaguing the company would result in the share price, which once peaked at RM4.55 in 2016, to dip to 50 sen if it was not resolved.
Hamaruddin Abd Razak, who represented the loose gathering of settlers, said the price is now RM1.72 (today).
"Before the situation worsens, we have come forth to say this in order to protect the rights and interest of our parents who were first generation settlers and investors in the scheme," he said.
He said that most of them had misgivings about Isa's credibility to lead the company while describing the latter as a “liability” to FGV.
"We plan to meet with Shahrir soon to express our wishes to have the former removed and replaced. There is no one better as he (Shahrir) has a clear vision for Felda and the land development authority also holds more 1/3 of FGV shares," he said.
On June 6, several senior FGV officers were instructed to go on forced leave, following a boardroom tussle allegedly triggered by a delayed payment from Afghan company Safitex to FGV subsidiary, Delima Oil Products Sdn Bhd (DOP).
Zakaria was among them.
Isa said the decision was made to enable an internal audit to take place over alleged discrepancies in the company, uncovered several months ago.
On June 8, MACC officers went to FGV's headquarters to seize documents pertaining to its investigation into the company.