Mohd Isa Abdul Samad

Following the death of Bagan Pinang assemblyman Azman Mohammad Noor, Isa was nominated as a BN candidate against Pakatan Rakyat candidate from PAS, Zulkefly Mohamad Omar in a by-election on 11 October 2008. Isa received 8,013 votes, while Zulkefly had 2,578 votes; won with a larger majority, 5,435 votes,[6]

Isa quits UMNO to contest as an independent candidate in the by-election of Port Dickson parliamentary seat held on 13 October 2018 after it was vacated by its incumbent Danyal Balagopal Abdullah to enable the leader of People's Justice Party (PKR) Anwar Ibrahim to contest and be elected to the parliament. He somehow just managed to get 4,230 votes (9.7%) to be in third place in the seven-corners contest won by Anwar and lost his electoral deposit.[7]

The UMNO Disciplinary Board chaired by Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail suspended Isa's membership for six years (2005 to 2011) on money politics in the UMNO General Assembly 2004 after winning the vice-president's post for being guilty five of nine money politics charges involving organizing meetings, organizing and giving money to buy votes.[5] On 6 July 2005, the UMNO Supreme Council (MT) rejected the appeal of Isa Samad but reduced the suspension from 6 years to 3 years and UMNO secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor sent a letter to Isa on 23 June 2008.[8]

Isa's case is related to a statement by Rais Yatim about 18 people to be detained for investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). At that time Rais Yatim was the Minister of Justice of Malaysia.

Following suspension of membership, Isa resigned as Federal Territory Minister on 17 October 2005.

On 27 December 2010, Prime Minister's Office said Isa appointed chairman[9] of the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) effective 1 January 2011, replacing Dr Mohd Yusof Noor appointed as an Advisor to the Minister responsible for FELDA.

On June 20, 2012, the 31st FELDA Capital Cooperative Annual General Meeting (KPF) was held at Dewan Perdana FELDA, Kuala Lumpur with strict control of the police. Isa Samad as FELDA chairman (contract only) will not be present because of the Kuala Lumpur High Court order as he is not a settler, energetic son or FELDA staff. Judge Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim explained that there was merit to allow four FELDA settlers to challenge Isa' membership in KPF and his membership in a frozen cooperative. Lawyer Mohamed Hanipa Maidin from Mohamed Hanifa & Associates representing applicants Abdul Talib Ali, Abdul Mubin Abdul Rahman, Abdul Razak Mohammad and Muhamad Noor Atan while Senior Federal Counsel Shamsul Bolhassan represented the respondents namely the Cooperative Commission of Malaysia Cooperation Commission (SKM), SKM and KPF. On 23 May 2012, the SKM dispute reference panel, SKM has confirmed the membership of Isa despite acknowledging that the appointment of Isa was illegal.

Mazlan Aliman of the National Felda Settlers' Children Association (ANAK) opposes Felda Global Ventures Holdings Berhad (FGVH) listing on Bursa Malaysia. CHILD ECONOMIC DEVELOPER Dr Rosli Yaakop disappointed with Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob for setting aside the by-laws in the Cooperative Commission Act to exclude certain individuals from complying with the requirements of the KPF by-laws (June 5, 2012).

Isa as chairman of Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGV) Bhd has been in conflict with chief executive officer, Zakaria Arshad. Isa was transferred from FGV once he has resigned to be the acting chairman of Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) on 19 June 2017.[10]

After the 2018 general election that saw the downfall of BN government, on 23 May 2018 the new Pakatan Harapan (PH) Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad announced that the SPAD was to be abolished[11] and Transport Minister Anthony Loke told Isa to resign from SPAD chairman within a week.[12] Isa resigned as SPAD chairman on 29 May 2018.[13]

On 23 November 2018, FGV filed a suit against former chairman, Isa and former group president and chief executive officer, Mohd Emir Mavani Abdullah and 12 others for RM514 million and other damages in relation to the acquisition of London-listed Asian Plantations Ltd in 2014.[14] On 30 November 2018, FGV filed another suit against Isa, Emir seeking relief totalling RM7.69 million in relation to the purchase of two luxury condominiums at Troika, Persiaran KLCC at prices significantly above market value, without proper due diligence and/or unauthorised use and possession of the units.[15][16]

On 14 December 2018, Isa has claimed trial to a charge of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and nine counts of receiving graft involving more than RM3mil as FELDA Chairman at a Sessions Court Kuala Lumpur.[17] The first charge, he allegedly committed CBT by approving the purchase of Merdeka Palace & Suites Hotel without the approval from the Felda board of directors on 29 April 2014. Mohd Isa was also charged with receiving bribes of RM100,000; RM140,000; RM300,000; RM250,000; RM500,000; RM500,000; RM300,000; 500,000; and RM500,000 totalling RM3.09mil from Gagasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd director Ikhwan Zaidel between July 2014 and December 2015 as well as through Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, who was the Prime Minister's political secretary then, as gratification for helping approve the hotel's purchase for RM160mil.[18] The High Court had on 3 February 2021 convicted Isa and sentenced him to six years in jail and RM15.45 million fine.[19]

•  Malaysia :
  • Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (1990)[25]
•  Negeri Sembilan :
  • Knight Companion of the Order of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan (DSNS) – Dato' (1982)
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan (SPNS) – Dato' Seri Utama (1990)[25]
•  Federal Territory (Malaysia) :
  • Grand Knight of the Order of the Territorial Crown (SUMW) – Datuk Seri Utama (2013)[25][26]