EXCERPTS from the interview with FGV chairman Datuk Wira Azhar Abdul Hamid.

What will be your immediate focus for FGV?

I don’t really have a starting point because I am doing everything at the same time.

Eventually, FGV will need to raise funds via sukuk or some refinancing, etc. We will find alternative ways to sort out all the problems. Right now, our total cash pile is about RM1.5bil, but we will need to start building our reserves again. Every year, FGV will need RM300mil-RM400mil as working capital for replanting and giving RM250mil to Felda under the LLA, among other things. The group’s overheads are fat, so we will need to trim that down as well. But roughly, there is not much free cashflow left and we have been eating into our reserves.