PKR reveals MOO-re NFC dirt

More Umno leaders' names crop up as the opposition party digs into the financial records of the NFC.

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal continues to raise a stink as PKR digs deeper into the dung.

According to party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution, his staff had unearthed the irregularities when studying the financial records of the company, run by the family of federal minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Based on the alleged new revelations, cattle worth RM5,281 were donated in 2009 to Works Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor while RM2,640 worth of cattle were given to a state assemblyperson stated only as “YB Yunus” in the documents.

Former Federal Territories Minister Zulhasnan Rafique had allegedly purchased cattle worth RM70,000 on credit in 2008, and the full payment was only made in the following year.

Apart from this, RM26,400 was allegedly paid for Shahrizat’s expenses in 2008 while RM368,640 was used for office rental and salaries for NFC directors, the minister’s husband Mohamad Salleh Ismail and the couple’s son Wan Shahinur Izran.

Just the tip of the iceberg

Saifuddin, meanwhile, described this as being only the tip of the iceberg.

“If it is true (as claimed by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin ) that NFC has nothing to do with Shahrizat, then the minister should not be having business dealings with the company or the firm paying her expenses,” said the PKR leader, adding that he hoped she did not spend the money on make-up and handbags.

Promising to disclose more details involving Umno leaders with regard to the alleged abuse of the RM250 million government soft loan to NFC, Saifuddin said he was saving the “juicier parts for later.”

He also said the check revealed no recorded payments from NFC to the government nor was the 2% per annum recorded as annual liability by the company.

The NFC landed in the limelight after it was panned by the auditor-general in his 2010 report, saying that its operations were in a mess.

Following this, PKR claimed that a luxurious condomimium unit worth RM10 million was purchased in Bangsar here using the money.

Defended by Umno leaders

However, several Umno leaders, including Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, defended the NFC and described the condominium as an investment.

Yesterday Muhyiddin defended Shahrizat and said that she need not resign as a minister. The deputy prime minister however urged Shahrizat’s husband to publicly clarify issues involving the NFC.

“The truth is, this is a question of business operation which is managed by her family, but Shahrizat herself is not involved,” he had said.

Likewise, Shahrizat was also defended by former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. He too urged Mohamad Salleh, who is NFC’s executive chairman, to give an explanation to members of parliament on issues raised by the 2010 Auditor-General’s report.