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PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda), once the world's largest plantation company generating billions of ringgit annually, is now burdened with losses of nearly RM10 billion due to years of mismanagement and excessive political interference.
Anwar said reports presented to him after returning to government revealed that Felda was carrying debts approaching RM10 billion, leaving the administration to bear a significant financial burden each year.
"Eight years ago, everything changed. There was excessive political interference. In the end, what once generated RM10 billion is now in deficit.
"I took over responsibility for Felda and am now looking after it. This is not politics; these are the facts," he said.
The Prime Minister said Felda had been managed effectively under former leaders, including Raja Alias Raja Muhammad Ali and the late Tan Sri Taib Andak, enabling it to grow into the world's largest plantation company while delivering strong returns for settlers.
He stressed that the agency's decline was not the fault of settlers, but of those entrusted with managing the organisation.
"The settlers did not fail because they refused to work hard. The problem is that those entrusted with responsibility betrayed that trust. That is the reality today," he said. - July 27, 2026