SERDANG – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed that the proposal to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit on the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) will be tabled and deliberated during the upcoming Cabinet meeting.
The proposal, put forward by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, aims to trace the root causes and identify parties responsible for the land development agency incurring financial losses totaling nearly RM10 billion.
Speaking to reporters after attending the National Maulidur Rasul celebration at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Anwar briefly stated that the matter would be brought to the Ministers’ table.
“We will discuss it in the Cabinet,” Anwar said when met at the event, which was also attended by his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan, and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Calls for Accountability and Enforcement
The call for a forensic audit comes after Ahmad Zahid emphasized that a thorough investigation is essential to pinpoint the culprits behind FELDA’s monumental losses, noting that accountability must be pursued despite previous leadership legal proceedings.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, stressed that executing the audit falls under the purview of the Prime Minister. He added that identifying responsible parties would allow for appropriate legal action if evidence points to breach of trust, abuse of power, or gross misgovernance.
Key developments leading up to the Cabinet discussion include:
- Special Task Force Findings: The Unity Government is currently awaiting a full report from a dedicated Special Task Force assigned to investigate FELDA’s financial and operational management.
- Basis for Action: Prime Minister Anwar previously noted that this upcoming report will serve as the baseline for structural management reforms and follow-up legal or administrative measures.
- Transparency Directives: The Prime Minister has reiterated that any investigation into statutory bodies must remain transparent, swift, and uncompromising to address historical governance failures.
The proposed forensic audit introduces a strategic dimension to the ongoing investigations, signaling a broader push by the administration to tighten statutory agency governance and recover lost public assets. -MalayaDailyToday
