DAP has formed a Felda parliamentary bureau to champion the cause of Felda settlers, said party veteran Lim Kit Siang.

“DAP has formed a Felda parliamentary bureau to support DAP MPs to champion the cause of Felda settlers to ensure that they are not the latest victims of injustices,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The bureau will be chaired by DAP’s Raub MP Mohamad Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz, with Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua as the deputy, he added.

Lim said the appointment of Shahrir Samad as the new Felda chairperson has not only failed to alleviate concerns of Felda settlers, it has actually led to more turbulence in the stock market following talk that Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) may be privatised.

“Shahrir should learn to be more circumspect in his statements and not to ‘rock the boat’ with his speculative talk of the possibility of taking FGV private, without any study being made,” he said.

Before Shahrir could reassure Felda settlers about recently highlighted issues, such as Felda’s controversial purchase of a 37 percent stake in Indonesian plantation firm Eagle High Plantations (EHP), new controversies have arisen, Lim said.

Critics, including CIMB chairperson Nazir Abdul Razak, have said that the EHP purchase was overpriced.

It was also reported on Monday that Felda intends to sell part of its stake in Maybank to raise up to RM280 million.

Lim pointed out that Felda settlers are the majority voters in at least 54 of the 222 parliamentary seats, and have helped bring BN to power in every election.

“Things may be heading for a change unless the grievances and complaints of the Felda settlers could be given satisfactory answers by the government,” he said.

Other members of the DAP’s Felda parliamentary bureau include Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto, Mentakab assemblyperson Tengku Zulpuri Puji and Kuala Kubu Baru assemblyperson Lee Kee Hiong, who will be the vice-chairpersons.

Dyana Sofya will be the secretary and the bureau is rounded off by its members A Sivanesan, Terence Naidu, Young Syefura Othman, Cheong Siow Foon, Bakar Ismail, Shifa Nurul, Mazir Ibrahim, A Ramakrishnan, S Veerapan, Leong Yu Man and Ahmad Rizal Selamat.