Anwar says he will release proof of Felda settlers' debt waiver today

TANJONG KARANG: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) said he will release proof on Thursday (July 20) that he had signed a debt waiver scheme for Felda settlers.

"I can show them, there is no need to wait 24 hours, I can do it in 12 hours. I did sign it on June 27. As to why he (former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) did not do the work, I do not know.

"You (Muhyiddin) challenge (me) like this... fair enough, I will furnish proof that I had signed (the debt waiver of RM990mil), (and) he has to apologise,” he told the media after attending the Tanjong Karang Unity Maal Hijrah 1445H celebration in Kampung Raja Musa here Wednesday (July 19) night.

Anwar was responding to Muhyiddin’s demand for an open and unconditional written apology from him (Anwar) following Anwar’s claim that the Felda settlers’ debts totalling RM8.3bil had never been waived under Muhyiddin’s administration.

The letter of demand dated July 18 was issued through solicitors, Messrs Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership.

Muhyiddin also wants Anwar, within 24 hours after receiving the letter, to furnish signed documentation that he (Anwar) as the Finance Minister, had at the end of June, signed a debt waiver scheme for Felda settlers worth RM8.3bil.

In response to this, Anwar said before leaving for his official visit to Vietnam tomorrow, he will get Treasury Secretary-General (KSP) Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican to provide him with the proof needed.

"Insya-Allah, before I leave for Vietnam tomorrow, I will call the KSP and ask him to provide the proof. I want him (Muhyiddin) to openly apologise,” he said.

Anwar prior to this claimed that under the Perikatan Nasional government’s 2021 and 2022 national budgets, there had been no allocations to resolve and dispose of Felda’s debts.

He said it was only in the Madani Budget 2023 that he had set aside RM990mil as an early allocation to dispose of the Felda settlers’ debts of RM8.3bil. - Bernama