The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today announced a special incentive of RM5,000 each for 94,956 Felda families.
The first reaction of Felda citizens is why the special incentive of RM15,000 for each of the Felda families before the 13th General Election has shrunk to only a third of the 2013 amount of RM5,000?
Najib’s announcement makes me think of two things:
Firstly, about the US$23.7 million 22-carat pink diamond necklace which was given to “wife of MO1” by 1MDB scandal mastermind, Penang billionaire Jho Low from money-laundered 1MDB funds. On the basis of RM5,000 special incentive to each of the Felda families, how many Felda families could benefit just from the 22-carat pink diamond necklace? Easily more than 22,000 Felda families as the pink diamond necklace cost RM117 million in Malaysian currency.
Secondly, the US$1.7 billion 1MDB-linked assets which the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) wants to forfeit as they were derived from stolen 1MDB funds which were money-laundered through American banks. If these US$1.7 billion 1MDB-linked assets, which were meant for the people of Malaysia, had been fairly allocated among the 100,000 Felda families, each Felda family would be able to get over RM70,000, converting the US$1.7 billion 1MDB-linked assets into Malaysian currency terms.
There are too many scandals in the country which directly affect the livelihood of Malaysians, whether it be the 1MDB scandal which had given the country the international infamy and ignominy of a global kleptocracy or the equally monstrous Felda and FGV scandals.
Parliament will reconvene tomorrow and Pakatan Harapan Members of Parliament will speak up for the 100,000 Felda families to demand full accountability for the Felda and FGV scandals and why the special incentives announced today for the Felda families were such a great disappointment as compared to the “goodies” announced for Felda families before the 13th general election.
(Speech at the Pakatan Harapan Hari Raya Aidilfitri reception at Mempaga 3 Felda scheme, Bentong on Sunday, 23rd July 2017 at 4 pm)