Don't believe Rafizi: A-G audited Pusat Fidlot Nasional, not NFCorp - Shahrizats

We refer to several erroneous news reports on National Feedlot Corporations Sdn Bhd following events with the Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee recently.

Please allow us to clarify on three concerns.

First, the Auditor-General (AG) does not audit private limited companies incorporated under the Companies Commission of Malaysia. The AG clarified this in his media statement of 25 January 2012 that the Jabatan Audit Negara (JAN) had audited the Pusat Fidlot Nasional (PFN) / National Feedlot Centre (NFC), a project under the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry. The AG had stated that the JAN did not audit National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd (NFCorp), the company.

(http://www.audit.gov.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104&Itemid=108&lang=ms).

Second, the claims by Rafizi Ramli on allegations of abuse and mismanagement in the company after irregularities were pointed out in the last Auditor-General's audit report, is incorrect and false. As confirmed by the AG, NFCorp was never audited. Rafizi misled the media and public with his statements tantamount to ‘absolute fitnah’ on NFCorp.

Third, the directors of NFCorp wish to clarify that they had not purchased luxury properties from the funds of the government loan. Nor had the directors leveraged from it. Rafizi’s claims that loans were taken for eight office lots at KL Eco City based on this premise, is absolutely false. There has been no abuse whatsoever. No loans have yet been taken for KL Eco City. The documents distributed by Rafizi were for other private loans taken for properties in Phileo Damansara and Plaza Damas in 2005 and 2008, several years before KL Eco City was launched for sale in 2011. They are not connected to KL Eco City. NFCorp was not even established in 2005.

As for the properties in 1 Menerung, these are the assets of the company acquired after the government had deferred the construction of an Export Quality Abattoir (EQA). Clause 12 of the Loan Agreement has allowed for the purchase of properties. The properties are tenanted with income paid directly to the company. These properties are not the personal nor private investments of the directors.

As such, Rafizi Ramli and the opposition are not to be believed for their fabrications, distortions and misrepresentations.

Ghazalie Abdullah is Chief Communications Consultant for National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd