Shahrizat says she won't step down

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said today that she would not bow down to pressure from any quarters to resign as Wanita Umno chief.

Shahrizat said it was nothing unusual for political leaders to face pressure and that this was all part and parcel of politics.

"If there are people who know the workings of Wanita Umno and are calling me to quit, it must be because they have their own agendas," she said when met at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport today.

She said the quit calls would not dampen her spirit but only make her stronger in continuing to serve society.

As to her cabinet post, Shahrizat said she was leaving this to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to decide.

"I respect his (Najib's) leadership. So the decision whether I should remain in the cabinet or not is up to him.

Shahrizat also said she had no knowledge as to what Rafidah Aziz(left) - former International Trade and Industry Minister and whom she succeeded as Wanita Umno chief - had to say about her.

She said she deeply respected Rafidah and would continue with efforts to strengthen Wanita Umno to face the next general election.

Shahrizat who just returned from performing the umrah in Mecca, will be resuming her cabinet duties on Wednesday.

She had taken three weeks leave following the national feedlot centre controversy.

The controversy arose after the auditor-general in his 2011 report stated that the centre had not met its scheduled targets since it started operations.

The centre is managed by National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), which is owned by her husband Mohamad Salleh Ismail.

The government had provided a RM250 million soft loan for the running of the centre, which was entrusted to help the country reduce beef imports.

Rafidah in an interview with the Malay Mail had alluded that political leaders faced with serious controversies should "know what to do."

- Bernama