Kit Siang warns A-G against whitewashing NFC

By Clara Chooi

January 25, 2012

The Ipoh Timor MP agreed with the A-G today that the latter’s 2010 report on the NFC had never labelled the RM250 million federally-funded project “a mess”. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 — DAP’s Lim Kit Siang today issued an early warning to Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang not to whitewash the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) controversy, saying it would destroy the institution’s credibility.

In a statement here, the veteran politician reminded Ambrin of his predecessors’ hard work in upholding the integrity of the A-G’s department, making it the “sole national institution” to keep its reputation intact.

“The proper place for the A-G to make clarifications on his 2010 Report particularly with reference to the NFC/NFCorp (National Feedlot Corporation) scandal, is the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), and not as a result of improper pressures applied by NFCorp or various organisations or individuals with a political agenda of their own,” Lim said in a statement here.

The Ipoh Timor MP, however, agreed with Ambrin today that the latter’s 2010 report on the NFC had never labelled the RM250 million federally-funded project “a mess” but pointed out that the description, used repeatedly in the media, was apt.

He slammed NFCorp chief Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail for accusing the A-G of confusing NFC with NFCorp in his report, saying the husband of minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil was clearly attempting to escape blame for the scandal.

The National Feedlot Centre in Gemas, Negri Sembilan. — file pic

“I have re-read the A-G’s 2010 Report on the project and there is nothing to justify (Mohamad) Salleh’s claim that the A-G had made the most elementary mistake of confusing the two entities — mistaking NFC for NFCorp or vice versa.

“(Mohamad) Salleh should not try to escape responsibility and accountability for the NFC/NFCorp ‘cattle condo’ (scandal) on such technical and ridiculous grounds,” the Ipoh Timor MP charged.

In his recent statement, Mohamad Salleh claimed that the A-G, in his report, had confused NFC, which is owned by the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry, with NFCorp, which he said has been meeting its targets.

Ambrin also clarified today that the National Audit Department’s checks on the NFC for its 2010 report were never on the NFCorp although he admitted there were weaknesses in the NFC cattle-farming project itself.

He also said his report had never labelled the project as being in “a mess”.

Lim, who earlier flayed PAC chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid for failing to initiate immediate investigations into the NFC, now urged the latter to convene a meeting within the next few days.

“Attempts to undermine the credibility and reputation of the A-G should be new and added reason why Azmi Khalid should convene a meeting of the PAC in the next few days to decide whether the PAC is to rise up to the challenge to conduct immediate and full investigations into the NFC scandal or face censure in the March meeting of Parliament for gross failure and irresponsibility,” he said.