PAC to probe NFC next week, but don't hold your breath

KUALA LUMPUR — Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will conduct an internal hearing on the controversial National Feedlot Project (NFC) next week after weeks of graft allegations against the public-funded RM250 million cattle-farming project.

Opposition lawmakers have demanded explanations from the government and a disclosure of all Cabinet meeting minutes from 2006 onwards to determine if minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil was directly involved in the decision to award the NFC project to her family.

PAC committee member Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan (picture) told The Malaysian Insider today the hearing will begin on November 23 at 11.30am in Parliament.

The Umno MP said that PAC will likely decide next week on who to call to testify during the hearing.

“We might call the Finance Ministry, Khazanah, it depends. Personally, I also have no problems with the NFC management being called as well to testify,” Abdul Rahman said.

The Kota Belud MP said the date of the first hearing was decided some time last week, adding that the committee decided the matter needed to be “expedited” due to public demand and interest surrounding the issue.

“The NFC was mentioned in the Auditor-General’s Report and it has attracted so much attention, and PAC is involved in investigating how public funds are being spent,” Abdul Rahman explained.

Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail, who is Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat’s husband and NFC executive chairman, has said he is mulling legal action against his accusers.

PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli and secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution have made repeated allegations of misappropriation of funds including RM10 million to pay for a luxury condominium.

--TheMalaysianInsider