KUALA LUMPUR (June 8): Former Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jala declined to give any statement to the media after spending slightly more than an hour at the headquarters of Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) today.

"I don’t want to give any statement at this juncture," Idris told reporters, as he walked from the lift to his car, which interestingly has the BFR registration plate, an acronym that is often associated with his mantra for "Big, Fast, Result."

Later he issued a press statement: "Yesterday, the Government appointed me, in my personal capacity, as an independent party to establish the facts and recommend the way forward, following the FGV Board’s recent suspension of several senior management figures.

"Currently, I am totally focused on the work at hand to establish the relevant facts of the case. While I understand both the media and public’s interest for further details, it is premature for me to make any statements at this juncture."

The Pemandu chief  had arrived at the FGV headquarters at 2.30pm, his first appearance since being appointed by the Prime Minister as an independent party to establish the facts of the case and recommend the way forward on FGV's board of directors’ decision to suspend group president and chief executive officer Datuk Zakaria Arshad, along with three others, over alleged irregularities at the firm's subsidiary, Delima Oil Products Sdn Bhd.

Idris' arrival came amid a surprise visit to the building by 25 anti-graft officials from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

The former Minister’s appointment as an independent party to probe FGV — the world's largest crude palm oil producer — has been hailed by Zakaria as a "wise move" by the Prime Minister.

However, the move drew flak from former Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who questioned the appointment of Idris,  instead of an accounting firm, to scrutinise the goings-on inside FGV.

The saga within FGV reached its climax on Tuesday, after its non-executive chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad told Zakaria to go on an indefinite leave of absence pending the completion of an inquiry by the board of directors on alleged outstanding debt by Afghan firm Safitex Trading LLC to Delima Oil Products, which has swelled to US$11. 7 million.