NFC saga continues with revelation of money for Shahrizat

As UMNO leaders continued to defend embattled National Feedlot Corporation against revelation of abuse of government funds, PKR has disclosed more irregularities on the company's transaction.

This time, it is in the form of money paid to Wanita UMNO head and Women, Family and Community minister, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil whose family members had business interests in the NFC.

PKR secretary general Saifuddin Nasution revealed four transactions by NFC between 2008 and 2009, showing it paid RM26,400 for Shahrizat’s expenses during its early stage.

“If true that NFC has nothing to do with Shahrizat, she should not have any dealing with this company, far less using its money,” said Saifuddin.

Saying Shahrizat should explain how the money was spent, the Machang member of parliament said she must also explain why NFC had paid RM398,640 to two of its directors, Shahrizat’s husband Mohamad Salleh Ismail and son Wan Shahinur Izran Mohamad in 2009, being rental of NFC’s office in Mont Kiara.

Saifuddin also questioned donation of cows by the public-funded NFC to Works minister Shaziman Mansor on September 1, 2009 and Negeri Sembilan state assemblyman Yunus on November 30, 2009, worth RM5,281.87 and RM2,640.93 respectively.

“Going by a similar accusation involving Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim before this, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission will have to investigate NFC, Shaziman and Yunus for getting the public-funded cows,” he said.

'Loan' not repaid

Saifuddin further pointed out that NFC had sold cows worth RM70,000 in loans to former Federal Territories minister Zulhasnan Rafique in 2008, who only paid for them in 2009.

He added that if indeed the RM250 million given to NFC by the government were loan as claimed by UMNO leaders, then NFC had yet to make any repayment.

“After receiving the RM250 million loan, NFC has yet to return a single cent to the government in any form including the 2 percent interest of loan. If this is indeed a loan as UMNO alleges, NFC should be paying back RM5 million per annum to service the loan,” stressed Saifuddin.

Earlier, deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who was the Agriculture minister when the NFC project was awarded Shahrizat's family, said the former Lembah Pantai MP should not resign.

This got a response from PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, who called Muhyiddin's statement "pathetic".

“Well, Muhyiddin is surely aware that he too would have to resign because he was the Agriculture and Agro-based Minister when the cow project was awarded to Shahrizat,” said Mat Sabu.

--harakahdaily