PUTRAJAYA, June 21 — Former Felda Global Venture Holdings Bhd (FGV) chairman Tan Sri Isa Samad and his wife were at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC headquarters here today to give their statement in connection with the commission’s investigation against  FGV.

Members of the media had been waiting for the couple at the MACC compound since 8 am and the former Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar and his wife, Puan Sri Bibi Sharliza Mohd Khalid, arrived at about 9.40am.

Last June 9, MACC confirmed that it had initiated investigation against FGV and its Chief Commissioner, Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad was quoted as saying that all witnesses, including Isa, would be called to record their statements.

This followed reports by the media a day earlier that MACC went to FGV office at Menara Felda building  and took eight hours to collect documents on FGV.

It was reported that until yesterday, MACC had recorded the statements of 60 witnesses in connection with its investigation against FGV.

Two days ago, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced that Isa voluntarily relinquished his position as FGV chairman with immediate effect and that Tan Sri Dr Sulaiman Mahbob had been appointed Acting FGV Chairman .

The crisis in FGV made headlines on June 6 after Isa and its board of directors ordered  FGV chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Zakaria Arshad,  as well as FGV Group chief financial officer Ahmad Tifli Mohd Talha, Delima Oil Products Sdn Bhd senior general manager Kamarzaman Karim, and FGV Trading CEO Ahmad Salman Omar  to go on leave with immediate effect.

Isa was reported to have said that the move was taken to enable an internal inquiry to be conducted over late payment involving Afghan company Safitex for palm oil products supplied by FGV subsidiary, Delima Oil Products Sdn Bhd

On June 7,  Zakaria, armed with several documents in connection with FGV, turned up at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya to give a statement on several business transactions by the company’s subsidiary, Delima Oil Products Sdn

In a move to resolve the boardroom crisis in FGV, the government has appointed former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala as an independent party to establish the facts of the case behind (FGV) tussle. — Bernamawife