Shahrizat summoned by MACC

On her first day back at work after three weeks’ leave, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has been summoned to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya.

According to an eyewitness, Shahrizat - who is the Umno Wanita chief - entered the building around 4pm.

It is believed that she is being questioned in connection with the ongoing investigation into National Feedlot Corporation scandal, which allegedly involves members of her family.

NFC, the chairperson of which is Mohamed Salleh Ismail, Shahrizat’s husband, is accused of mishandling a RM250 million in government soft loan for the NFC.

The National Feedlot Corporation project is meant to reduce Malaysia’s beef imports but the Auditor-General’s Report 2010 stated that the project is very far off-target.

Following this, several PKR leaders exposed how the RM250 million soft loan was used for non-cattle rearing related matters, such as financing purchases of luxury condominiums in Kuala Lumpur, a plot of prime land in Putrajaya and a luxury car.

In its latest expose, PKR suspected Shahrizat's family members had misused the soft loan to purchase two upmarket condominiums in Singapore worth RM34.6 million.

MACC investigation director Mustafar Ali confirmed to Malaysiakinithat Shahrizat is currently in its office, but did not elaborate.

[More to follow]