Dzulkifli Abd Wahab has been sacked as director-general of the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) and will be transferred to the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Ministry.

NONE This claim was made by Mazlan Aliman (right) , who leads PAS-linked NGO Anak.

Speaking to PAS’ party organ Harakahdaily , Mazlan said Dzulkifli would be posted to Rome, Italy.

He is to be replaced in Felda by Faizoull Ahmad, who will take over from Sept 1.

Mazlan claimed that Faizoull has close links with Koperasi Permodalan Felda (KPF) chairperson Isa Samad.

Dzulkifli had allegedly opposed Isa’s appointment and the public listing of Felda Global Ventures Holding Bhd (FGV), leading him to be allegedly forced to take study leave for nine months.

Mazlan is expected to call a press conference tomorrow to reveal further details.

Met by reporters after closing the Felda Students Camp at Universiti Putra Malaysia in Serdang, Deputy Minister in the PM's Dept Ahmad Maslan refused comment on the matter.

"I don't need to comment on that. You ask (Felda chairperson) Isa Samad that," the deputy minister, who is in charge of the federal agency, said.

Affin cuts Felda Global to 'add'

Meanwhile, Affin Investment cut its rating on FGV to 'add' from 'buy' after the plantation operator posted a disappointing second-quarter net profit.

According to Reuters , the research house said in a note today that FGV's second-quarter net profit fell 32.6 percent year-on-year due to weaker earnings from its plantation and sugar businesses.

Affin cut FGV's target price to RM5.30 per share from 5.52 ringgit, and trimmed its financial year net profit forecasts for 2012 by 27.1 percent, for 2013 by 4.1 percent and for 2014 by 5.4 percent.

As at 10.36am today, shares in Felda remained unchanged at RM5.02 per share against the Malaysian benchmark stock index's 0.12 percent rise.