Najib may emerge winner in NFC debacle

The prosecution of the NFCorp chairman comes at a crucial time for the BN with election around the corner.

ANALYSIS

KUALA LUMPUR: If there is a winner in the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) debacle, it has to be none other than Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak himself.

The outcome of the fiasco – the resignation of Shahrizat Abdul Jalil from her Cabinet post and the prosecution of her husband, Mohamad Salleh Ismail, the chairman of the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) – could not have worked out better for his preparations for a key general election likely to be called this year.

This could also strengthen the government’s anti-graft credentials and help contain some of the collateral damage incurred from unresolved financial scandals in the past.

Analysts polled by FMT agreed, saying that Najib’s handling of the RM250-million NFC scandal would help defuse public anger and add to the growing support for his government. This runs counter to some perceptions that the fiasco would ruin the Barisan Nasional (BN) electoral chances.

The prime minister recently saw a 10% surge in his approval rating to 69% on the back of an escalating charm offensive against the lower-income group, the country’s majority electorate.

The rising popularity was attributed to the improving economy and the cash handout of RM500 to the low-income earners under the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M), according to a poll conducted by Merdeka Centre.

Ibrahim Sufian, the Merdeka Centre director, said the scandal may have some negative impact on the Najib administration but this would now change.

Damning exposé
“I think the ongoing expose (on NFC) had an impact on public views of the government but the outcome had more or less decreased public dissatisfaction,” he told FMT.

Shahrizat – the Women, Family and Community Development Minister – said she will step down as minister when her term as senator expires on April 8.

She gave no reason for the decision but it was widely known that it was done following internal and external pressure for her to quit after a series of damning exposé were made on her and her family members who run NFCorp.

Mohamad Salleh was charged with four counts of criminal breach of trust. Political pundits and Shahrizat’s supporters are likely to conclude that he was made a scapegoat to save the BN’s skin.

But the impact of the NFC scandal on the voting pattern could be minimal judging from the increase in Najib’s approval rating. It is important to note that this positive development came at the peak of the NFC scandal, which meant that it did little to tarnish Najib’s image.

The survey found that the majority of Najib’s support came from the lower-income group earning below RM1,500.

Rice bowl issues

The poll also showed that national scandals remain secondary to rice bowl issues for those in the lower-income bracket.

“You can attribute this to his policies. I think he has made his target clear,” Ibrahim said.

But UCSI University lecturer Ong Kian Ming warned that the NFC fiasco could continue to drag the ruling coalition down, given the public perception that the prosecution of Mohamad Salleh could be a mere show.

He believes Shahrizat’s resignation alone would not divert attention from the scandal. And Pakatan Rakyat politicians will keep harping on it as a political issue.

“As long as no one is charged and found guilty, it will continue to be a thorn in the side of Najib and BN,” he said.