Isa evades counter-allegation queries

KUALA LUMPUR: It was Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad’s first major press conference since early this year when the Government instituted changes to Felda.

The event was attended by a host of reporters and television crew who would normally not attend a conference by FGV.

However, this press conference was to deal with a pressing matter – an ongoing open battle between Isa and FGV’s group president and CEO Datuk Zakaria Arshad.

With an air of confidence, Isa fielded all questions related to the reasons why the board of FGV decided to instruct Zakaria to go on a leave of absence.

It came about to investigate alleged irregularities in business dealings between FGV subsidiary Delima Oil Products Sdn Bhd and Afghan company Safitex, Isa said.

The FGV board’s decision came a day after Zakaria was reported to have refused an instruction, apparently from Isa, to resign following a May 31 FGV board meeting concerning delayed payments owed to Delima by Safitex.

Isa deftly parried all questions on the counter-allegations against him in his role as chairman of FGV.

He also declined to answer questions outside the Delima-Safitex probe and even snapped at a reporter who touched on questions pertain­ing to alleged abuse of power in FGV.

“I will sue you for making such a statement,” Isa said.

But the reporter was quick to respond by saying that his info­rmation came from an article by a blogger who claimed that Zakaria’s sacking was an attempt by Isa to cover up rampant corrupt practices in FGV.

Isa then retorted: “You cannot accuse me and it is as though you are accusing me by asking the question.”

The barely 30-minute, unscheduled press conference was well attended by a group of more than 30 reporters from both the print and electronic media.