Anwar shows proof of Felda claim, tells Muhyiddin to apologise

PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should apologise for slandering me, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said this after providing evidence that he signed a debt waiver scheme for Felda settlers.

"I have presented part of the document on the FSRA on the government guarantee of Felda debts which was signed by me, proof that the settlers' debts were waived.

"Therefore, I urge Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to apologise for slandering me," he said in a statement on Thursday (July 20).

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

The Finance Ministry also confirmed that Anwar had signed the Assignment for Financial Service Reserve Account (FSRA) on June 26.

As announced in a Finance Ministry press release dated June 28 the agreement involves a government guarantee of RM9.9bil to the Federal Land Development Board (Felda) to re-structure Felda settlers' debts through the issuance of sukuk bonds and revolving credit in an effort to revive its financial position.

Earlier, Muhyiddin had demanded 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 wanted 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.

"Under the agreement, the government will bear the re-payment of the sukuk bonds through a grant allocation of RM990mil annually for 10 years," said a Finance Ministry statement on Thursday (July 20).

"With this, the Finance Ministry confirms that the first payment of RM990mil was disbursed on July 18 in line with the allocation, which was made in Budget Madani 2023.

It said the completion of the government guarantee agreement on the allocation to Felda was an essential element implemented by the unity government to ensure a positive impact on Felda's cash flow and financial position following the disposal of the Felda settlers' debts.

Earlier Thursday, the media was provided with two documents, a government guarantee issued to Felda and an RM990mil payment instruction from the government to the authority.

The three pages of the FSRA agreement showed that it was signed on June 26, 2023, by Anwar on behalf of the Government of Malaysia and the then Felda chairman Tan Sri Idris Jusoh and Felda Director-General Datuk Amiruddin Abdul Satar.

The signing of the document was witnessed by Deputy Secretary-General of Treasury (Investment) Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin.