Shahrizat tells court why she quit

DIDN'T WANT TO BURDEN GOVT- Former minister says it was the right thing to do

KUALA LUMPUR: DATUK Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said she had stepped down as a minister as she felt it was the right thing to do.

"I don't want to burden the government with what had happened to me and my family.

"The attack on me is so evil that it questioned my role as a mother, a woman and a leader. I want to clear my name and my family's name," she told the High Court yesterday.

Shahrizat was testifying in her RM100 million defamation suit against PKR strategic director Mohd Rafizi Ramli and Ampang member of parliament Zuraida Kamaruddin before High Court judicial commissioner Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera yesterday.

Rafizi's counsel Ranjit Singh earlier showed Shahrizat several media reports on calls for her resignation by, among others, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former Wanita Umno head Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz and Kalabakan member of parliament Datuk Seri Abdul Ghapur Salleh.

She told the High Court yesterday that the calls were made as a result of alleged defamatory statements made against her by Rafizi and Zuraida in relation to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) issue.

Ranjit: All these statements were made because of Rafizi and Zuraida?

Shahrizat: Absolutely.

Ranjit: Are you trying to say that the BN and Umno leaders were brainwashed by the defendants?

Shahrizat: No.

Ranjit: Are you saying that none of them had checked their facts before making the statements?

Shahrizat: I wouldn't know. But I know that they made the statements because of the defendants.

Ranjit: How do you know? Did you ask them?

Shahrizat: I know, but I never asked them.

On Ranjit's suggestion that Rafidah was equating her to the NFCorp issue, Shahrizat replied, "Yes, as a result of the political assassination by the defendants."

The former women, family and community development minister said the BN and Umno leaders were taken in by what the defendants had said against her.

"They are normal human beings. They could have been influenced," she said.

Shahrizat, who is also Wanita Umno chief, denied that she had resigned from her post as a minister as she was a liability to BN, Umno and the government.

On why she had announced her resignation in March although the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission cleared her of any wrongdoing over the NFCorp issue, Shahrizat said she wanted to spend more time with her family.

"I had talked to my family and we agreed that I should resign and take steps to clear my name and my family's name," she said.

Shahrizat had filed the suit on Jan 19, claiming that the defendants held press conferences at various locations, including the Parliament lobby, and had orchestrated the attack against NFCorp, her husband and family.

She claimed that the words allegedly used by Rafizi were meant to mean that she was involved in the award process of the feedlot project and, therefore, involved in misappropriation.

She also contended that the words used by Zuraida implied that she was involved in the "marking up" and subsidising of meat products from NFCorp so that she and her family could pocket the difference.

Both Rafizi and Zuraida were present in court.

Shahrizat was represented by Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Datuk Ahmad Redza Abdullah, while Razlan Hadri acted for Zuraida.

Hearing continues on March 18.

- New Straits Times