Felda Global Ventures Bhd (FGV) will hold an internal audit investigation involving its president and chief executive officer (CEO) Zakaria Arshad.

FGV chairperson Mohd Isa Abdul Samad said they are also ready to cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commision (MACC) if needed.

"It is up to the MACC to join (the investigation), they can join, we do not have a problem with it. For now, we have only approved the internal audit investigation.

"If MACC wants to join, who can contest it? We see that there might be mistakes, which is why we are holding an investigation to make things clearer," Mohd Isa said at a press conference at Menara Felda in Kuala Lumpur today.

FGV has also provided leave of absence to three other senior officers from FGV and its subsidiaries, while the investigation is ongoing, he said.

This includes FGV chief finance officer, Ahmad Tifli Mohd Talha, FGV Trading CEO Ahmad Salman Omar and Delima Oil Products Sdn Bhd senior general manager, Kamarzaman Abd.

The FGV leadership crisis is said to be linked to the credit arrangements between Delima Oil with a foreign company which buys palm oil.

So far, Zakaria has reportedly defended himself and refused to step down.

He also explained that the paying process and the credit conditions used by Delima Oil was already in place before he became the CEO.

Meanwhile, PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli said Zakaria should remain as FGV CEO until investigations are conducted.

The PKR lawmaker noted how the company had shown some improvements under Zakaria’s leadership.

“I have not been coming out with many statements on FGV of late as I want to ensure that FGV can improve further under his leadership.

“As such, there are many things that need to be investigated more clearly with regards to his leave of absence.

Rafizi urged Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairperson Shahrir Samad to intervene in the matter by maintaining Zakaria as the CEO pending investigations.

The Pandan MP noted how Zakaria and Isa were not on the same page on several issues including the buying of a stake in Indonesia’s PT Eagle High Plantations.