Felda listing: No stroll in the park

There were two demonstrations held by PERKASA and other pro-Government activists yesterday in reaction to another demonstration by PAS's Mazlan Alimin-led NGO, ANAK to support the mutinous FELDA Director General, Dato Dzulkifli Wahab and to support Government's effort to list Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH).

One was a protest held at the PAS Headquarter in a Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur. It was followed by another show of support at the Felda headquarter in Jalan Semarak.

ABITW was at Jalan Semarak to document the event and lent support. Something smells fishy when PAS initiated ANAK, which had been relentlessly attacking Felda's management, policies and implementations but gave personal support to the head implementor, Dato Dzulkifli.

However, what seem look like a straight forward listing excercise that is supposed to benefit the settlers, without 'touching' their land, is no more a walk in the park. The issue is discussed as we scroll through the demonstration pictures.





Dato Dzulkifli was recently given 8 months 'gardening' leave from November 21st for his defiant act as Chairman of Koperasi Felda Berhad (KPB) to sack four Koperasi directors, which include Felda Chairman, Tan Sri Isa Samad and FGVH CEO, Dato Sabri against Prime Minister's directive to leave open his post for Isa.

Dato Dzulkifli and Ketua Peneroka was stabbing the Government in the back while giving lip service to support the listing. As a 30 year old career Felda officer, he had garnered support and loyalty from veteran settlers over the years but unknown to them are he has allegedly been feathering his nest from the organisation and settlers. Read Bigdog here dan here.

There are issues that need to be addressed and clarified to the 'participating' settlers. Nevertheless, the listing of FGVH is a more sensible exercise in the Government's next step initiative to look into the affair of the second, third and fourth generation of Felda settlers.





While the demonstrations was going on, Syabas Chairman and Chairman of Gempaq, Gabungan Wawasan Generasi Kedua and Bapak, Tan Sri Rozali Ismail held a press conference to deny rumours of his attempt to scuttle the FGVH listing and intention to replace current Felda Chairman, Tan Sri Samad. Read blog Putra Merdeka here.

Talk has it that he had attempted to join the Board of Directors of KPB together with the recently ousted Tan Sri Yusof Nor. Words are Yusof Nor has been dismissed immediately as advisers.

Perhaps Razali need to make the denial since talk is rife of him making a RM2 million offer to UMNO's training fund and facilities on condition he be given post of Menteri Besar for Selangor for a term. His basis is to resolve the water impasse in the state that is being blamed on him.

The conditional offer was believed to have been rejected by Dato Najib despite Razali being a regular donor and Treasurer to UMNO Selangor. The grassroot is not comfortable to place a corporate personality that became an issue for UMNO to spell an opposition led demonstration in May this year. [Read The Unspinners here]




Water industry sources claimed Razali had met Selangor Economic Adviser, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim and reached a new tariff agreeement. Before the new tariff is announced, many would asked what is the deal behind the deal to enable them to reached an agreement.

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had refused to cooperate to build the new Ulu Langat dam. This is causing public anxiety and it was raised in the recent UMNO General Assembly. Without a new dam, Selangor and Klang Valley may face water shortage in 2014. Khalid and Razali were singled out. [Read Gerakan Anti PKR here.]



What is Razali up to? That is the big question.

Politically his political godfather was the former Menteri Besaar and UMNO Vice President and Informaton Chief, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib. Muhammad Taib was in Anwar's Team Wawasan and the likes of Anwar loyalist like Telok Kemang MP, Dato Kamarul Baharian used to be running Muhammad Taib's Foundation.

Anything seems possible.

Perhaps it is merely a second generation product of Felda not wanting to be left out of Felda's listing excercise. He listed his Puncak Niaga before Felda went listing. He needs to show off to the folks.

After all, he created BAPAK just to be on the same stage with Dato Najib but did not become the answer to Mazlan Alimin's ANAK. He merely divert all the enquiries and problems back to Felda. He created Koperasi Generasi Kedua, which has yet to be approved by Registrar of Cooperatives.




Let's leave Razali and his corporate greed and ego aside. Commissions, kickbacks, extravagant mark-ups and RM5.1 mllion a year Directors fee for a public utility company still does not satisfy his insatiable appetite. Unfortunately, he does not realised that he is neither a winnable candidate to wrest any opposition seats nor the pull to attract support for BN to takeover the state.

The display of anger towards such defiance and double cross is real. And the opposition's sudden interest in Felda is not welcomed. But the opposition is adamant to penetrate Barisan Nasional and UMNO's fixed deposit of 55 parliament seats. Read Sanggah Tok Janggut here and Gelombang Wangsa Maju here.

The listing is necessary to help distribute the benefit to all Felda settlers. If Mazlan Alimin's demand is fulfilled, how on earth could 350,000 ha of Felda Plantation land be distributed to some 700,000 second to fourth generation settlers. More so with 250,000 ha is in Sabah.

By the time FGVH is listed around April next year and the settlers got extra money in their pocket, one wonders if all the political effort of PAS-led ANAK matters? Chances are it will be forgotten. For Mazlan Alimin and ANAK, it was worth a try.