Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Datuk Seri Noh Omar had denied earlier today that the decision to award the public-funded NFC project was discussed during Cabinet meetings.
But DAP parliamentary leader Lim said Noh was not a member of Cabinet in 2006 when the RM250 million cattle farming project was first mooted.
“It’s Muhyiddin, and not Noh Omar, who should answer whether the decision to award the project was discussed during Cabinet meetings as Noh Omar only became minister after the 2008 general elections,” he said in a statement.
Lim added it is Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin, in his capacity as Agriculture Minister in 2006, who should answer allegations of “conflict-of-interest” involving minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil as her family was awarded the project.
“Muhyiddin should explain whether he and his ministry were aware of the involvement of Shahrizat’s family when his ministry made the NFC award,” the Ipoh Timor MP said.
PKR yesterday demanded the government disclose all Cabinet meeting minutes from 2006 onwards to determine if the women, family and community development minister was directly involved in awarding the NFC deal to her husband’s company.
The NFC first became embroiled in controversy when its operations made it into the pages of the Auditor-General’s Report for 2010.
The report, released last month, had criticised the RM250 million federally-funded cattle project, pointing out that it was now “in a mess”. It further said production in 2010 was only 3,289 head of cattle, or 41.1 per cent of the target set.
Putrajaya has steadfastly defended the project since then but numerous exposes by PKR, including the controversial RM14 million purchase of two units at Bangsar’s luxurious One Menerung condominium, forced the company to break its silence on Thursday.
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