About 1,000 orange clad protestors rallied in Kuala Lumpur calling for an end to political interference in Federal Land Agency (Felda) and for its chairperson Isa Samad to relinquish his post.

NONE The gathering of a group of  Felda settlers' children started marching from the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) mosque towards their final destination Wisma Felda in Jalan Semarak after Friday prayers today.

In his speech Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda (Anak) chairperson Mazlan Aliman ( above, with microphone ), said the were there to hand over a memorandum calling for, among other things, Isa not to extend his tenure when it expires next Monday.

“We don’t want to be enemies with Felda workers, or with the (other) settler’s children. We are here to make an important stand.

“Isa’s presence (in Felda) will bring doom and disaster,” said Mazlan addressing the rally from the top of a four-wheel drive.

NONE “Our most important demand is Isa relinquish his post and resign,” he said.

Joining the rally were PAS vice president Salahuddin Ayub, PAS central committee member  Idris Ahmad and party election director Hatta Ramli.

Meanwhile, at Wisma Felda, a pro-establishment youth group, Majlis Belia Felda Malaysia (MBFM), held up counter-rally banners reading ‘Don’t disturb Felda’, ‘Felda settlers not kacang lupakan kulit (ungrateful)’ and ‘Anak are traitors’.

They also chanted, “Don’t disturb Felda” and “Cruel, Mazlan Aliman is cruel.”

Isa supporters ‘not enemies’

The orange rally reached Felda’s headquarters at 2.30pm, by which time the police formed a barrier roughly 50 metres long to separate the two groups.

NONE Mazlan with six leaders including Salahuddin and Hatta then met with Felda representatives to submit the memorandum before the rally dispersed at around 3.30pm without any incident.

Speaking to reporters after the rally, Mazlan said Anak's current priority is to demand Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak not to extend Isa's tenure.

Other demands to Felda in the memorandum are: return the lands of Felda Plantations, terminate the sale of oil palm to companies said to be owned by Jews, and stop political interference in Felda.

On the pro-establishment group that organised the counter-rally, Mazlan said he does not see them as the enemy.

NONE “I see them as friends, not enemies. The enemy is not the settlers. They know nothing (of what is going on). They are hired (to protest). They are our friends.”

Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Amar Singh, who was at the scene, said he is satisfied with the conduct of both groups.

“‘Thank you’ to both groups because they dispersed peacefully. I am very satisfied with today's situation. They followed our advice.

“The police force (present at the rally) is sufficient. The number (of protesters) is not very big, but we managed to stop them from clashing,” he said.

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