Anwar demands apology from Muhyiddin over Felda’s debt claim
PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has demanded an apology from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin over the former prime minister’s claim on the settlement of Felda’s debts.
In a statement, Anwar provided proof of evidence that he had signed a debt waiver scheme for Felda settlers.
“I present part of the document on the Assignment for Financial Service Reserve Account (FSRA) related to the government guarantee of Felda debts which I have signed – proof that the settlers’ debts were waived.
“Therefore, I hereby demand Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to issue an apology for slandering me,” he said in a statement yesterday.
The statement was accompanied by a copy of Assignment For FSRA1 in Pdf form, signed by Anwar, Felda chairman Tan Sri Idris Jusoh and Felda director-general Datuk Amiruddin Abdul Satar, as well as a payment order.
The Finance Ministry (MOF) also confirmed that Anwar had signed the Assignment for FSRA on June 26.
In a press release dated June 28, the MOF stated the agreement involves a government guarantee of RM9.9bil to Felda to restructure Felda settlers’ debts through the issuance of sukuk bonds and revolving credit in an effort to revive its financial position.
Anwar’s statement came after Muhyiddin, who is Perikatan Nasional chairman, had demanded an open and unconditional written apology from Anwar following Anwar’s claim that the Felda settlers’ debts totalling RM8.3bil had never been waived under Muhyiddin’s administration.
Muhyiddin also demanded that Anwar furnish signed documentation that he (Anwar) as the Finance Minister, had at the end of June, signed a debt waiver scheme for Felda settlers worth RM8.3bil.
Muhyiddin’s former principal private secretary Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad said the documents put out by Anwar were not the agreement to waive the RM8.3bil debt for Felda settlers.
In a Facebook post, he said the documents released to the media by the Prime Minister’s Office is an agreement on the issuance of government-guaranteed sukuk and not the debt waiver agreement.
“The Prime Minister revealed part of the documents which he alleged was the agreement to waive the RM8.3bil debt of the Felda settlers.
“At first glance, I already know that the document is not the debt waiver agreement for Felda settlers but the agreement on the issuance of government-guaranteed sukuk.
“To avoid doubts on the Cabinet decision on Oct 14, 2020 which waived the Felda settlers’ debts, it is better that the government declassify the minutes of the Cabinet meetings for the public to see,” said Marzuki.
He added that the date was when the Cabinet under Muhyiddin, as prime minister, had approved a Felda Recovery Plan, which included the waiver of 80% of the Felda settlers’ debt totalling RM8.3bil.
It also included the issuance of RM9.9bil sukuk in stages for the purpose of acquiring FGV Holdings Berhad along with the settlement of Felda’s debts with Malayan Banking Bhd and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), as well as an annual grant of RM990mil to Felda from the Federal Government, he said.
Marzuki said the documents released by Anwar were not proof that the debt waiver had only been done last June as it was the issuance of government-guaranteed sukuk which was part of the Cabinet decision back in 2020.
“Anyone who is a Finance Minister has to sign this document. As far as I remember, Muhyiddin was never a finance minister,” he added.
