Former FELDA director-general Datuk Faizoull Ahmad pleads not guilty to allegedly deceiving the board over the transfer of 16 land parcels in Jalan Semarak
KUALA LUMPUR: A former Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) director-general was charged at the Sessions Court here today with allegedly deceiving the authority’s board of directors over a power of attorney linked to the transfer of ownership of 16 parcels of Felda land at Jalan Semarak in 2014.
Datuk Faizoull Ahmad, 66, pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read before Judge Suzana Hussin.
Faizoull, who was Felda director-general at the time, is accused of concealing a power of attorney dated June 3, 2014, which authorised Synergy Promenade Sdn Bhd to transfer ownership of the 16 parcels of land involved in the proposed Felda Lot Development Project at Jalan Semarak.
The alleged deception is said to have induced Felda’s board to approve the power of attorney, resulting in the transfer of ownership of the land to Synergy Promenade KLVC Sdn Bhd and Synergy Promenade Sdn Bhd.
The prosecution alleged that the board would not have approved the power of attorney had it been aware of the concealed document.
The offence allegedly took place at the Felda board meeting room on Level 50 of Menara Felda, Platinum Park, Persiaran KLCC, on Sept 2, 2014.
Faizoull was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which carries a prison sentence of between one and 10 years, whipping and a fine upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor N Joy Jothi proposed bail of RM100,000 with one surety, with Faizoull required to surrender his passport to the court.
Defence counsel Datuk Sukri Mohamed said Faizoull has four children, one of whom is still studying, and has been cooperating with the investigation since 2018.
Sukri said his client had been remanded for five days earlier this month and had already paid RM100,000 in bail to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
He argued that requiring Faizoull to raise another substantial sum would place a financial burden on him.
The lawyer also told the court that the Court of Appeal acquitted Faizoull last year of two charges of abetting another former senior Felda officer in committing criminal breach of trust involving RM47 million.
He added that Faizoull’s passport had previously been held for four years before the latest charge.
Judge Suzana Hussin subsequently set bail at RM70,000 with one surety and fixed Nov 6 for case management.
The court also ordered Faizoull to surrender his passport and report to the nearest MACC office once a month.
