Anwar: Govt did not order delay or halt to Felda probe

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced on October 20 that no orders had been given to delay or halt investigations into alleged misappropriation at the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda). During the Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar clarified that the process took time to ensure the investigation papers were complete before prosecution could begin.

He stated that the Cabinet was aware of the Felda case, but no obstruction was reported, and the sole request was for a transparent investigation. Anwar addressed a query from Ahmad Fadhli Shaari regarding the recent initiation of prosecution, noting that a white paper on Felda was presented in 2019, but no action was taken until the current government assumed power in 2022.

The prime minister emphasized that the government established a special task force on Felda, which took approximately a year to commence the investigation. Anwar highlighted that delays were due to the investigation papers being returned multiple times by the Attorney General’s Chambers for further work to resolve gaps. He also clarified that the government aimed to ensure solid foundations for investigations before initiating criminal charges, stressing that enforcement action should not be hasty at the expense of maintaining transparency in the legal process.