FGV chairman shoots down idea of quitting

KUALA LUMPUR: Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad today shot down the idea that he should resign from his post, adding that he is not guilty of any wrongdoing.
On Wednesday, Umno Supreme council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi opined that both Mohd Isa and FGV CEO Datuk Zakaria Arshad should resign for their open fallout.
"I don't know. There are many opinions and differing stories out there while some do not understand the issue ..."Why should I resign? I am not guilty," Mohd Isa when asked to comment on the views of Mohd Puad.
Mohd Isa, who met reporters at the FGV Ramadan Contribution 2017 event today, claimed he was unaware of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) visit to Menara Felda, adding that they had not asked to see him.
"I don't know whether they want to see me or not. So far no (they haven't asked to speak to me). If they want to meet me then we will meet but so far for me there has been no appointment set with MACC," Mohd Isa told reporters.
About 20 MACC officials arrived at Menara Felda, just before Mohd Isa was due to attend the event which was to start at around 10am.
It is understood they were there to meet with the management and obtain documents in relation to its investigations into FGV. In the absence of FGV's CEO, a board executive committee made up of FGV directors Datuk Dr Omar Salim and Datuk Mohd Zafer Mohd Hashim, and head of logistics cluster Azman Ahmad is executing his function.
MACC officers were escorted by auxiliary police to Level 45 of Menara Felda, which is where CEO Datuk Zakaria Arshad's office is located. As at press time, MACC officials were still at Menara Felda.
"I don't know what MACC is investigating, whether it is this issue (Safitex late payments) or other issues. We cannot assume. Our focus now is to solve this issue," said Mohd Isa.
Asked whether the money owed by Safitex is recoverable, he said there is no guarantee but will try to recover as much as possible. On Wednesday, when met by reporters at MACC's office in Putrajaya, Zakaria said the payments are 100% recoverable.
Zakaria, who was forced to take a leave of absence along with three others, spent four hours at the MACC office to provide information and documents to the commission.
"I can't guarantee. We have to engage a lawyer, local and in Dubai side. We try to get as much as we can," he said.
Mohd Isa said a legal counsel will be appointed by FGV to look into the late payments and how to recover the debt in accordance with procedures.
Asked to comment on Zakaria's claim that he was overruled or bypassed in certain investment decisions, Mohd Isa said: "He shouldn't say that. He is the CEO and until now he is still the CEO. It is wrong for him to give that statement but I don't want to respond to that."
On whether Zakaria has been doing a good job since his appointment as CEO on April 1 last year, Mohd Isa said the group did not lose money in the last five years even before Zakaria took the helm. He said the group has been making money although margins were small.
He said he has no problems working with Zakaria and has been working with him for many years.
On whether FGV has enough reason to expel and remove Zakaria, he said investigations are ongoing and all details will be included in the show cause letter to be issued later.
Mohd Isa said the appointment of Datuk Seri Idris Jala as an independent party in the case is a good move and that he will definitely cooperate with Idris Jala.
Idris Jala, who has been appointed as an independent party in the case, arrived at Menara Felda at 2.30pm and spent over an hour meeting Mohd Isa, according to a source.
"I do not want to make any statement at this juncture while I'm still establishing the facts and I'm focusing on ensuring that we get the facts. But while I'm doing that I do not want to make any statement because that would be very premature," Idris said before leaving the building.