PUTRAJAYA: Former Felda Global Venture Holdings Bhd (FGV) chairman Tan Sri Isa Samad and his wife were at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here yesterday to give their statement in connection with the commission’s investigation against FGV.
Members of the media had been waiting for the couple at the MACC compound since 8am and the former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar and his wife, Puan Sri Bibi Sharliza Mohd Khalid , arrived at about 9.40am.
Last June 9, MACC confirmed that it had initiated investigation against FGV and its Chief Commissioner, Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad was quoted as saying that all witnesses, including Isa, would be called to record their statements.
This followed reports by the media a day earlier that MACC went to FGV office at Menara Felda building and took eight hours to collect documentson FGV.
It was reported that until yesterday, MACC had recorded the statements of 60 witnesses in connection with its investigation against FGV.
Two days ago, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that Isa voluntarily relinquished his position as FGV chairman with immediate effect and that Tan Sri Dr Sulaiman Mahbob had been appointed acting FGV chairman .
The crisis in FGV made headlines on June 6 after Isa and its board of directors ordered FGV chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Zakaria Arshad, as well as FGV Group chief financial officer Ahmad Tifli Mohd Talha, Delima Oil Products Sdn Bhd senior general manager Kamarzaman Karim, and FGV Trading CEO Ahmad Salman Omar to go on leave with immediate effect.
Isa was reported to have said that the move was taken to enable an internal inquiry to be conducted over late payment involving Afghan company Safitex for palm oil products supplied by FGV subsidiary, Delima Oil Products Sdn Bhd.
On June 7, Zakaria, armed with several documents in connection with FGV, turned up at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya to give a statement on several business transactions by the company’s subsidiary, Delima Oil Products Sdn.
In a move to resolve the boardroom crisis in FGV, the government has appointed former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala as an independent party to establish the facts of the case behind (FGV) tussle.
Meanwhile, the MACC said in its statement yesterday that it had taken statements from Isa and his wife to complete the investigation on the allegation involving them.
Subsequently, the MACC will study the statements given by Isa and his wife and the MACC investigation focused on the issues of corruption and abuse of power.
“Throughout the process, both of them had given full cooperation to the MACC. The agency is also confident that it can complete the investigation papers in the near future before handing them to the Attorney-General for further action,” said the MACC. — Bernama