PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s documentary evidence released today is not a debt waiver agreement for Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) settlers, a former aide to Muhyiddin Yassin said.

Marzuki Mohamad, who is Muhyiddin’s former private secretary, said what was released was an agreement on a government-backed sukuk that is being issued in phases.

“Just now, the prime minister released parts of the document, which is said to be the agreement on the waiver of RM8.3 billion in debts for Felda settlers.

“At a glance, I know what the document is. It is not the debt waiver agreement for Felda settlers but an agreement on sukuk guaranteed by the government, which will be issued in phases.

“The document enclosed with the prime minister’s media statement did not prove that the debt waiver had only taken place in June. It is on the issuance of government-guarantee sukuk, which is part of the decision made by the cabinet in 2020,” said Marzuki in a Facebook post today.

Earlier today, Anwar showed documents to prove that he is the one, and not Muhyiddin, the prime minister in 2022, who signed a debt waiver scheme for Felda settlers.

Anwar released part of the Assignment for Financial Service Reserve Account agreement documents related to the government guarantee to Felda, which was made on June 26.

The agreement bore the signature of Anwar, who is also the finance minister.

Anwar was responding to Muhyiddin’s demand for an open and unconditional written apology over the prime minister’s claim that the Felda settlers’ debts, totalling RM8.3 billion, were not waived under the Perikatan Nasional chairman’s administration.

Muhyiddin also wanted Anwar to furnish documents to prove that the latter had signed the debt waiver.

After releasing the documents, Anwar, in turn, demanded that Muhyiddin apologise to him for the slander.

Marzuki said the documents released today – on the government-backed sukuk – could only be signed by the finance minister.

“As far as I can remember, Muhyiddin has never been the finance minister,” he said.

“Therefore, the publication of such a document supported my previous claims that the document, which was signed by the prime minister, who is also the finance minister, is not the agreement on debt waiver for Felda settlers but an agreement related to the issuance of government-backed sukuk.”

Marzuki said the government should declassify the minutes of the October 14, 2020 cabinet meeting for better clarity on the matter.

He said the then cabinet under Muhyiddin’s leadership approved the Felda recovery plan, which, among others, included the waiver of 80% of debts for Felda settlers, amounting to RM8.3 billion, and the issuance of RM9.9 billion government-backed sukuk.

He said the plan also included the settlement of loans between Felda and Maybank as well as the Employees Provident Fund, and the allocation of annual grants worth RM990 million.

“To put to rest any doubt arising from the waiver of debts for Felda settlers, it is best to declassify the minutes of the cabinet (meeting) on October 14, 2020,” he added. – July 20, 2023.