A day before a key meeting with the Umno Women's wing, it looks like Prime Minister Najib has decided to temper his support for Shahrizat Jalil, the wing's chief at the centre of the RM250million NFC corruption scandal.
About a fortnight ago, Najib had lauded her decision to resign as Cabinet minister but keep her Wanita chief post, saying it was an "appropriate" move. He differentiated the two positions and urged Wanita members to continue to support Shahrizat.
"This is because with regard to the NFC case, the debate was her position as a minister in the cabinet," Bernama had reported Najib as saying on March 11. "Give her the support and cooperation because she (Shahrizat) has given her commitment to lead Wanita Umno and turn the movement into an important machinery for the general election."
Back on the offensive
Najib's remark sparked an immediate chorus of Yes-men and women responses and even Shahrizat's deputy Kamilia Ibrahim, who had previously slammed her for tarnishing Umno, rushed to toe the line. However, a day before a specially-convened meeting on Friday where Shahrizat and Najib are due to address 7,000 women delegates, Kamilia is back on the offensive.
“When it involves public funds, it involves the rakyat. The public is looking at it as a national issue that has tarnished the image of the Government. People are questioning how NFCorp could get a such a huge loan with only 2% interest rate and a five-year grace period before repayment when it is so difficult for the ordinary people to get loans," the Star reported Kamilia as saying.
“And they are asking how NFCorp could buy cars and condo units with the loan meant for (buying) cows. Our credibility is at stake. I've gone down to the grassroots and this is generally what the members are saying. They are finding it hard to meet the people when the image of their leader (Shahrizat) is tarnished.People are poking fun at Wanita and calling us cows'. The Wanita grassroots are saying susah nak kerja (it's difficult to work with the issue over their heads)'. And the Opposition is telling us not to do anything about it because it will make their work (for the general election) easier. As a leader, we have to listen to what the grassroots are saying.”
Shahrizat's family was awarded the NFC cattle breeding project by the Umno-led BN government in 2006. Her husband has been charged for criminal breach of trust amid accusations that he and their 3 children had abused their authority and siphoned out money from a RM250 million government soft loan to personal accounts and to obtain loans to purchase luxury condominiums and even a supermarket lease.
Najib's refusal to take swift action worsened the situation as PKR leaders such as Raizi Ramli and Zuraida Kamaruddin continued to pump out one allegation after another against the Shahrizats, with Rafizi even saying that that the information he has received from whistle blowers disgusted by the Shahrizats' lavish life styles would take 2 years to complete revealing.
The situation culminated when it was revealed that the NFC directors had even bought a RM1.7 million luxury condo in Kazakhstan, prompting speculation that it was a wedding gift for Najib's daughter, who recently married into a powerful Kazakh family. The link to Najib prompted immediate action and within days, Salleh Ismail - Shahrizat's husband and the NFC chief - was finally charged for CBT.
Najib now losing control of Wanita as well
Umno watchers say Najib is now worried about the simmering discontent amongst Wanita members and the negative backlash for himself and his family due to the Kazakh property. Indeed, he may have overestimated his control over the Wanita wing, which has in the past been a core contributor to the BN voting bank.
Even the government-controlled Star reported that several Umno division chiefs were so fed-up with the NFC debacle that they have asked their Wanita heads not to attend Friday's gathering. As a result, the Wanita Umno headquarters has instructed every division to send at least 40 women each to make up the numbers.
Kamilia is now demanding that Shahrizat resigns as Wanita chief when her Cabinet position expires on April 8, rather than wait to retire when Umno holds its annual general assembly cum election later this year. However, she was also quick to assure that she would abide by whatever decision Najib made.
“I will be there to support the PM. He is the party president. I will abide by his decision and I will play my role and focus on the general election,” said Kamilia.
When the hand that rocks the cradle has no conscience of its own
Umno watchers were cynical in their response, believing that it was another "drama" to lance the boil in case it erupts on Friday and embarrasses Najib. This was why Kamilia came out to slam Shahrizat - to satisfy those who were angry with Shahrizat and to cool them down.
"It is his own fault for demoralizing Wanita Umno. Shahrizat never resigned. Her Senatorship is expiring on April 8 and along with it goes the Cabinet post. So let's not be fooled by that drama which Najib and the entire Umno supreme council supported in full to pull wool over the eyes of their grassroots," PKR vice president Tian Chua toldMalaysia Chronicle.
"It would have been better for Umno and definitely spared Malaysia much embarrassment if Najib had demanded Shahrizat surrendered her Cabinet post immediately after PKR lodged a report with the MACC and submitted documentary evidence along with it. Najib should have then left Wanita to decide for themselves what to do with Shahrizat, instead of trying manipulate them into the best political situation for both himself and Shahrizat. Now people say Wanita is controlled by the men's wing and has no conscience or voice of their own."
Malaysia Chronicle
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