Mazlan, the president of Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (Anak), broke down in tears as he pleaded with the Felda community to wake up to what was happening to the agency. Anak is the national association of Felda settlers’ children.

He said he was distressed to see settlers, especially the aged, being forced to face the damaging effects of a management in the grip of pursuing personal gains.

“I have no self-interest. As a settler’s son, my heart and mind are focused on the settlers. I appeal for change, in the interest of our growing children,” he said in the hour-long interview.

“If we destroy Felda, we will be bringing catastrophe upon those who come after us.”

Yesterday, Mazlan and several Felda settlers went to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters to voice their dissatisfaction with the anti-graft agency’s decision to clear the Felda management of corruption in a multi-million ringgit land deal.

Their protest followed a report in Berita Harian that Felda risked losing ownership of a plot of land worth at least RM270 million in a dubious transaction using a power of attorney to transfer the land title to a private company in 2015.

Police have formed a special team to investigate the transfer of the land in Jalan Semarak, Kuala Lumpur, said to have a market value of hundreds of millions ringgit.

Mazlan, 51, said he had been following Felda issues for 30 years and his interest was to get the agency back to its “correct path”.

“Whoever leads Felda, even if a politician, let him be clean, possess integrity and, most importantly, have the political will to bring change,” he said.

He said if Felda was managed by people with integrity, the glory days of the past would return.

“But if they crave riches, see Felda’s assets as money spinners, collaborate with capitalists to seize opportunities from the sweat of kampung people, then the end will be heart-rending,” he said.