The Federal Land Development Agency (Felda) has been urged to clarify a claim that former chairperson Mohd Yusof Noor had been given a ‘retirement gift’ of RM84,000 by one of the 10 Felda districts.

NONE Mazlan Aliman, who heads the Association of Children of Felda Settlers (Anak), said he had acquired a payment slip - which he showed Malaysiakini - showing that the Segamat district had paid the amount about the same time that Mohd Yusof retired in January.  

"This is just one district. Were the other districts also ordered to make such payments? If they did, was the amount the same?" he asked at a press conference today.

In an immediate response, however, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Ahmad Maslan - who is in charge of Felda affairs - said the allegation is a “lie”.

“(Mazlan) is a liar. It is not true at all. Why would Felda Segamat, which doesn’t have that much money to begin with, give RM84,000 to a former chairperson?” he said when contacted.  

NONE His checks with officers there have revealed that the district only gave Mohd Yusof gifts worth about RM2,000.

“This Mazlan...you’ll need to double-check everything he says. Maybe Mazlan doesn’t know how to count, (which is why) he ended up totalling it to RM84,000,” Ahmad (right) quipped.

Mohd Yusof who was succeeded by former Negri Sembilan menteri besar Isa Abdul Samad, had come under fire last year when PKR’s Subang MP R Sivarasa had dared him to publicly disclose his income.

Last August, Sivarasa had claimed in the Dewan Rakyat that Mohd Yusof earned about RM2 million a year at a time when Felda reserves were said to be waning.

Mohd Yusof is currently the advisor to Ahmad.

More settlers to sue Felda

On another matter, Mazlan said Felda settlers from three areas including Temerloh in Pahang are due to file civil suits against the agency early next month.

"Felda has tried to negotiate with them but it seems like the negotiations are breaking down. If (this happens), then the suits will be filed, even though it is not (the preferred option)," he said.

He said nine cases are now pending in court, all pertaining to payment for crops and delayed compensation for replanting schemes.

Mazlan said this h azlan ad come out of the Felda Kemahang suit, where the Federal Court found that Felda had shortchanged the settlers in payment for oil palm crops.

"Despite this, we still don't see much changes in Felda administration and operations, particularly in palm oil mills," he said.

Among the cases filed are those involving about 550 settlers in Bera, Pahang about 100 settlers in Kerteh, Terengganu and about 40 settlers in Segamat, Johor.

"This has strained the relationship between Felda and the settlers. It is our fear that, with recent developments, more settlers will take their grouses to court, too," added Mazlan.

Ahmad, however, claimed that only six suits are pending, and that a total of 12 cases have been taken to court.

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