KUALA LUMPUR: Felda, as the single largest shareholder of FGV but not represented on FGV's board, is concerned with the reported boardroom tussle.
"We have recently informed FGV that we are nominating three names as our representatives on FGV's board,” said Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad.
“Our interest is to see the continued momentum in cost savings and cutting unnecessary expenditure. There had been some progress but a boardroom tussle can negatively affect this cost reduction," he said.
"Good governance is important, too. Board decisions should not be arbitrarily compromised. Responsibility and accountability at company and group levels should be clear and distinguishable," he added.
"We reserve our comments on individual members of FGV board. Whatever will be the final outcome, we want the best for Felda," Shahrir told NST business in a telephone interview today.
Currently, the nine board members of FGV are chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, chief executive officer Datuk Zakaria Arshad, Datuk Dr. Omar Salim, Datuk Yahaya Abd Jabar, Datuk Siti Zauyah Md Desa, Datuk Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid, Tan Sri Dr. Sulaiman Mahbob, Datuk Mohamed Suffian Awang and Datuk Mohd Zafer Mohd Hashim.
In a separate telephone interview today, newly-appointed Felda board member Dr Ahmad Kushairi Din, who is also Malaysian Palm Oil Board director-general, told NST Business that FGV’s boardroom tussle is news to him.
“This boardroom tussle in FGV is news to me. I only came to know of it just now. When the Felda board met up last week, there was no indication or mention of this,” Kushairi said.