KUALA LUMPUR: A former aide to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today claimed the "proof" released by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is not a debt waiver agreement for settlers with the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda).
Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad, Muhyiddin's former private secretary, claimed that the document is an agreement on government-backed sukuk that was being issued in phases.
"Just now, the prime minister released parts of the document which is said to be the agreement on the waiver of RM8.3 billion in debts for Felda settlers.
"At a glance, I know what the document is. The said document is not the debt waiver agreement for Felda settlers but an agreement on sukuk guaranteed by the government, that will be issued in phases.
"The document enclosed with the prime minister's media statement did not prove that the debt waiver had only taken place in June. It is on the issuance of government-guarantee sukuk which is part of the decision made by the Cabinet in 2020," said Marzuki in a Facebook posting today.
To support his claim, Marzuki claimed that the document of a government-backed sukuk could only be signed by the finance minister.
"As far as I can remember, Muhyiddin has never been the finance minister.
"Therefore, the publication of such a document supported my previous claims that the document, which was signed by the prime minister, who is also the finance minister, is not the agreement on debt waiver for Felda settlers but an agreement related to the issuance of government-backed sukuk," he said.
Marzuki also urged the government to declassify the minutes of the then cabinet meeting, which took place on Oct 14, 2020.
He said the then cabinet under Muhyiddin's leadership approved the Felda Recovery Plan, which, amongst others, included the waiver of 80 per cent of debt for Felda settlers amounting to RM8.3 billion and the issuance of RM9.9 billion government-backed sukuk.
The recovery plan, he said, also included the settlement of loans between Felda and Maybank as well the Employees Provident Fund; and the allocation of annual grants worth RM990 million.
"To put to rest any doubts arising on the waiver of debts for Felda settlers, it is best to 'declassify' the minutes of the cabinet (meeting) on Oct 14, 2020," he said.
Earlier today, Anwar released documents to prove that Muhyiddin was the one who had signed a debt waiver scheme for Felda settlers.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, also demanded an apology from Perikatan Nasional over the latter's Felda claim.