766 settlers sue Felda for RM200 million

By Zefry Dahalan - Free Malaysia Today,

SEREMBAN: A group of 766 settlers from Felda Serting and Felda Raja Alias from Jempol, Negeri Sembilan filed a suit against Felda and Felda Palm Industries Sdn Bhd for fraud and breach of trust and claiming losses of more than RM200 million at the Seremban 2 Court complex this morning.
The 766 settlers are from Felda Serting Hilir Kompleks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 from Air Hitam, Jempol and also from Felda Raja Alias 1, 2, 3 and 4 from Serting, Jempol.

They are represented by lawyer R Sivarasa, assisted by Latheefa Koya and T Kumar. Also present was the representative of the settlers Karip Mohd Salleh.

Speaking to reporters at a presss conference in the compound of the Seremban 2 High Court, Sivarasa, who is also the Subang MP and PKR vice president, alleged that the settlers were paid at a lower rate of the oil palm extraction grade (Kadar Perahan Gred or KPG) averaging at 18.9 percent for the last 15 years.

"The settlers suspected something was amiss when they realised that they could not match the recommended rate from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board which was higher at 22 percent.

"In March and July this year, the settlers sent their fruit yields samples to two different independent laboratories to assess the actual rate of the KPG and the results showed a much higher rate of 24 percent and 25.5 percent.

"This is a 6 to 6.5 percent more than what the rate Felda Palm Industries Sdn Bhd used," said Sivarasa to which the crowd responded with 'Felda Penipu'.

Accumulative losses for 15 years

According to Sivarasa, based on the six percent losses of the fruits yield on the oil palm extraction grade for the year 2008, each Felda settlers from the group 766 faced losses amounted to RM20,039.05 each for the year 2008 alone.

"That means for 2008, the total amount losses for the 766 Felda settlers was RM15,349,912.00.

"We are claiming for the losses from year 1995 till 2010 with four percent interest annually. So the accumulative losses for a period of 15 years will be more than RM200 million," explained Sivarasa to cheers from a 300 capacity crowd.

The settlers are also claiming examplary damages and eight percent of the total losses and damages.

Also present was the National Felda Settler Childrens Association's (Anak) president Mazlan Aliman; Negeri Sembilan PAS commisioner Zulkefly Mohamad Omar; Jempol PAS chief Abdul Rahman Ramli and Negeri Sembilan PKR secretary Sabaruddin Mohd Yassim.

More than 300 of the affected settlers were present in the vicinity of the court to show their solidarity.