Police are expected to question former Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairperson Mohd Isa Samad next week to assist in their investigations into the agency’s land deal at Jalan Semarak.

Deputy inspector-general of police Noor Rashid Ibrahim said Isa's statement is important as he was Felda's top-ranked person at the time.

"We will summon him next week to have his statement recorded. As the then-Felda chairman and linked to the company's investment decisions, this must be investigated," said Noor Rashid (photo) as quoted by New Straits Times.

He also confirmed that police have since recorded statements from five people which include Felda officers, land office staff as well as Companies Commission of Malaysia personnel.

Investigations are expected to pick up pace next week when police record statements from important individuals linked to the case and obtain several key documents, he added.

The case is being investigated under Section 420 and 471 of the Penal Code for fraud and falsification of documents.

It was revealed that Felda is at risk of losing the rights to four plots of land valued at around RM270 million due to an ownership transfer through an allegedly “dubious transaction” in 2015.

Felda chairperson Shahrir Abdul Samad had previously announced that Felda had not only lodged a police report against the master developer appointed for the project, but that it would explore all available options to reclaim ownership of the four parcels of land, which were later revealed to actually be worth up to RM1 billion.

Shahrir (photo) had taken over leadership of Felda from Isa, who led the agency from 2011 up to January this year.

Isa has expressed readiness to cooperate with police in their probe into the land transfer scandal.

Meanwhile, national Felda settlers chief Samsudin Othman claimed that the Felda board of directors did not know about the Jalan Semarak land transfer.

Samsudin told a press conference in Johor Bharu that the board was only briefed on the proposed development to take place on the land by the previous Felda management.

He said they were only told that the development included a high-rise hotel that could generate income for Felda, as reported by The Star.

Other than details on the Kuala Lumpur Vertical City (KLVC) and the approval given, Samsudin who represents the Settlers Consultation Committee on the Felda board, said the board did not know who was behind the project.

“The previous management of Felda was not transparent when making business decisions and did not consult us,” said Samsudin.

Claiming that the committee only knew of the Jalan Semarak land deal from newspaper reports, Samsudin said the board would have objected to the project had it known earlier that ownership of the land had been transferred.