KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya has never issued instructions to delay investigations into alleged misconduct involving the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda), the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Felda white paper was issued in 2019, but no action was taken until the current administration took over in 2022.
He also said the investigation papers on Felda had been sent back and forth to the Attorney General three or four times after gaps were identified, with each round of revisions taking three to four months.
“On Felda, the information was made available to and brought to the attention of the Cabinet, and nobody obstructed the investigation.
“The only request was that it be conducted transparently. Why is action being taken only now?
“The white paper was issued in 2019, but no action was taken until we took over in 2022, when the investigation was reopened.
“The matter was brought to the Cabinet’s attention and nobody had obstructed the investigation, although there had been a request for it to be conducted transparently,” he said during the Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 20).
Anwar was responding to a supplementary question from Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas), who sought clarification on the delay in investigations involving Felda and why action had only been taken recently.
He said a special task force was subsequently established to examine the matter, taking a year to complete its work before the investigation was reopened and investigation papers prepared.
He acknowledged that investigations could take a long time, depending on the efficiency of enforcement agencies and the need to ensure that cases were properly investigated.
He added that he could not dictate who should be implicated, as the facts had to be established through the investigative process.
“The important question is whether we agree that action must be taken to prevent misconduct from continuing.
“My answer is an unequivocal yes. I have no intention of using my powers to delay or avoid investigations,” he said.
On Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH), Anwar said its management had requested that action be deferred until its recovery efforts were completed, but he had insisted that investigations continue despite the deferment.
“Cabinet members know that the matter was presented at an early stage during the previous administration.
“When we took over, we asked for it to be presented to the Cabinet. At the time, TH management requested that any action be deferred until it had completed its recovery efforts.
“Whether that justification was acceptable is another matter. But I said then that it was fine, provided the investigation continued.”
