"Who knows him from Adam?" : Knives start to come out for Shahrizat and hubby

The truth is starting to come out. Despite a humungous cover-up by the Umno top echelon involving the police plus a performance worthy of an Oscar, party delegates, especially from the Wanita wing, want their chief Shahrizat Jalil to be gone. If not from the party completely, then at the very least to quit all posts including her Cabinet position.

“Who knows him from Adam?” a delegate was reported as having told theMalaysian Insider in reference to Shahrizat's husband, Salleh Ismail, who was granted the RM250 million NFC cattle-breeding project.

“Come on, they understand. It is your husband, so what do you mean it has nothing to do with you? If you were not a minister do you think your husband would have gotten the project?"

Even Rafidah, who was much more powerful, had to give in

Shahrizat had at the Wanita congress received what appeared to rapturous support from the women delegates. Certainly, she took care to surround herself with die-hard loyalists who were clearly robotic in their defence of the chief.

But the fact remains, Shahrizat is just a step from being forced to step down. The corruption allegations over how Salleh and her childer had mismanaged the NFC project, squandering public funds on 2 super-luxury condos in Bangsar, a high-end Mercedes Benz CLS350, residential land in the poshest part of Putrajaya have shocked the nation.

The money was meant to incubate and grow the project, which aims to ensure Malaysians get access to cheap beef. NFC was granted to her family in 2006 by the then-premier Abdullah Badawi, who had a soft spot for her and supported her challenge of past Wanita chief Rafidah Aziz.

Notorious for her stranglehold on the APs business, or authorised permits for importing motor vehicles, Rafidah too finally faced the curtain after the graft allegation swamped all her other achievements as Trade minister and long-time Kuala Kangsar MP.

It was an ignominious exit for Rafidah who had to leave with jeers of Queen APs ringing in her ears. But if it is any consolation to her now, her deputy-turned-challenger Shahrizat too will have to face the same music, only that Shahrizat's song would be titled Queen Cow and Condos.

Disgust and pure ambition

Critics say if Shahrizat is still unbelieving of her fate, she should look at Rafidah, who was even more powerful owing to her much longer service in Umno. Yet, Rafidah could not hold back the tide and clamoring from the Wanita members.

"It is not just a matter of wanting reform. Many are just disgusted. They thought with Rafidah gone, there won't so much controversy but it appears Shahrizat was a good student. If Wanita could dislodge Rafidah, who fought like a lioness, Shahrizat who is much more 'lembik' (soft) like Badawi will be easy game," PKR vice president Chua Jui Meng told Malaysia Chronicle.

"Bear in mind, a large number of Wanita members will want Shahrziat out and their main motive will be their personal ambition. Yes, political opportunism is everywhere. It is a vicious cycle but this is Umno and while Wanita Umno may be more subtle, it is every bit as ambitious as the male wings."

Go before you destroy us all

According to several senior Wanita leaders interviewed by Malaysian Insider, Shahrizat had become a “liability” to Umno and should exit the limelight before the NFC scandal “destroys us all”.

“She is using Wanita Umno to protect her but the NFC issue is not a Wanita issue but a personal one involving her and her family. As a Wanita Umno member, I am very disappointed. A lot of us are disappointed... why drag Umno into this issue?” said one woman delegate from Perak.

“Do not forget, the first person to expose the issue about NFC’s weaknesses was the Auditor-General, not the opposition. So why attack the opposition to hide your own weakness?”

On Thursday, Deputy Inspector General of Police Khalid Bakar was flayed for bowing to pressure from the Umno bigwigs for suddenly announcing that a police probe involving 74 witnesses had so far found no trace of criminal breach of trust in NFC.

"This is a transparent attempt by the national police leadership to perform 'damage control' on behalf of the ruling UMNO party. Why issue such a statement when investigations are still continiuing? It makes no sense for the police to state their conclusions before the end of the investigation. And why make such a statement all of a sudden, just as the high profile UMNO AGM gets underway?," PKR vice president N Surendran said in a statement.

"Also surprisingly, the police have confirmed that they have still not recorded any statement from Minister Shahrizat, who is a key figure in NFC controversy. Why are the police avoiding calling in the Minister?"

Malaysia Chronicle