People are calling us cows–Wanita UMNO Deputy Chief

Far from the applause which greeted Wanita UMNO leader Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s speech at the wing’s assembly last year, when  she rolled up her sleeves in defending herself over the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal involving her family, the wing leadership has been taking a very different stand now.

“People are poking fun at Wanita and calling us cows. The Wanita grassroots are complaining that it’s difficult to work with the issue over their heads,” said Wanita UMNO  Deputy Chief Kamilia Ibrahim, who joined growing calls on Shahrizat to step down.

Kamilia concurred that that the public now perceived that there was something “morally and politically wrong” in the way NFC used the RM250 million loan meant for the cattle-rearing project.

“And they are asking how NFC 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,” added Kamilia.

Shahrizat had earlier announced that she would accept the end of her cabinet term when her senatorship expires on April 8. A day after her announcement, her husband Mohamad Salleh, the NFC executive chairman, was brought to court on a charge of criminal breach of trust and violation of Companies Act.

However, Shahrizat (with her cheerleaders) has been adamant to stay on as the Wanita chief. Political observers are speculating that Shahrizat would need the post as bargaining chip to ensure that her children, who are directors in NFC, were spared in the fiasco.

Public prosecutors have indicated that more would be charged in relation to the abuse of the RM250 million Federal loan by the company.

On Shahrizat’s promise to help BN to win the next general election, Kamilia rubbished off the claim saying it would be “strange for Shahrizat to campaign for a clean, fair and good government.”

“We will leave it to her wisdom first. As a leader, she should be able to assess herself,” Kamilia was quoted as saying by The Star, adding that Shahrizat should know better than to be told what to do. - Din Merican