Anwar to release proof of Felda debt waiver today

Anwar to release proof of Felda debt waiver today

The prime minister says he signed the waiver, and wants Muhyiddin Yassin to 'openly apologise'.

Responding to a demand from Muhyiddin Yassin, Anwar Ibrahim said he will furnish documentation that he signed the debt waiver for Felda settlers on June 27. (Bernama pic)
TANJONG KARANG:
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he will release proof today that he had signed a debt waiver scheme for Felda settlers.

“I can show them, there is no need to wait 24 hours, I can do it in 12 hours. I did sign it on June 27. As to why he (former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin) did not do the work, I do not know.

“You (Muhyiddin) challenge me, fair enough, I will furnish proof that I had signed (the debt waiver of RM990 million) and he has to apologise,” he told reporters after attending the Tanjong Karang Unity Maal Hijrah 1445H celebration at Kampung Raja Musa here last night.

Anwar was responding to Muhyiddin’s demand for an open and unconditional written apology from him following Anwar’s claim that the Felda settlers’ debts totalling RM8.3 billion 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 wants Anwar, within 24 hours of receiving the letter, to furnish signed documentation that Anwar, as the finance minister, had at the end of June signed a debt waiver scheme for the Felda settlers.

Anwar said that before leaving for his official visit to Vietnam today, he will get Treasury secretary-general Johan Mahmood Merican to provide him with the proof needed.

“Insya-Allah, before I leave for Vietnam tomorrow (Thursday), I will call the KSP (Johan) and ask him to provide the proof. I want him (Muhyiddin) to openly apologise,” he said.

Before this, Anwar had claimed that under the Perikatan Nasional government’s 2021 and 2022 national budgets, there had been no allocations to resolve and dispose of Felda’s debts.

He said it was only in this year’s Madani budget that he had set aside RM990 million as an early allocation to dispose of the Felda settlers’ debts of RM8.3 billion.

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