Malaysians control FGVH shares: Najib (5222)

JERANTUT: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that the
majority of the Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH) shares are owned
by Malaysian citizens.

He said most of the shares were given to Felda settlers and trust funds in the country.

"We
gave the majority of the shares to the settlers and certain trust funds
such as the Pilgrims Fund Board (Tabung Haji), Employees Provident Fund
(EPF) and the Pemodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB)," he said after launching
the 'Kasih Felda' programme in Padang Piol, near here today.

AS such, Najib said the profits made by the FGVH would definitely benefit the people of Malaysia.

He
said the federal government had also distributed the FGVH shares to the
state government, with Pahang receiving funds amounting RM250 million
and Sabah, with RM200 million.

"We are giving priority to the states that can provide land to the government (for Felda land development programme)," he said.

In
his speech earlier, the prime minister said various allegations had
been made against the listing of FGVH with certain quarters even
accused Felda of being bankrupt.

"If Felda is bankrupt, how
can it be listed in the Bursa Malaysia? Even the Qatari Prime Minister
wants the FGVH shares. When I asked him how much he wants, he said as
mush as I can give," he said.

Najib said if outsiders and
foreign companies were willing to pay large amount of money to get FGVH
shares, then Felda settlers should be grateful that they were given the
shares by the ruling government.

Present at the launch were
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Ahmad Maslan
and Felda chairman Tan Sri Isa Samad. -- BERNAMA