PKR: NFC bought Putrajaya land, Merc

After the 'cows and condos' fiasco, PKR today dropped another bombshell on the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), claiming that it had squandered a portion of the RM250 million government loan on land, luxury cars and overseas trips.

PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli (right) today said the company's financial documents had showed that NFC had transferred RM3,363,507 to its sister company National Meat and Livestock Corporation (NMLC) to purchase two plots of land in Putrajaya in December 2009.

"It is highly unlikely that the land bought in Putrajaya are intended for raring cows," quipped Rafizi, in reference to the two plots which are identified as PT1886 and PT1887.

The purchase through NMLC, Rafizi adds, is the same modus operandi adopted in the purchase of two luxury condominiums in Bangsar at RM6.9 million each and the company, unlike NFC, is wholly owned by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s family.

He further revealed that through the same means, the company had purchased a luxury car Mercedes Benz CLS 350 CGI at RM534,622 on top of a monthly RM20,000 maintenance cost for the vehicle which is directly paid from NFC's account.

‘Gov’t has no control over NMLC’

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution, who was also present, said the government had no oversight over NMLC.

“NMLC is a private company. In NFC, the Finance Ministry has a golden share, so if anything happens the govnerment can come in and there are also board members from the government, but NMLC is 100 percent owned and managed by them (Shahrizat’s family).”

Saifuddin added that he had earlier met with contractors hired for NFC who were not paid and were forced to sue the company.

“This is just tens of thousands, they cannot pay, but luxury cars worth half a million, they can pay,” he said, adding that the parcels of land purchased in Precinct 10 were in an area where many embassies were located.

Rafizi also revealed that a CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad account (141640000066107) registered under NFC had paid a total of RM455,423 via 15 cheques to Impian Global Network Services (IGNS) between January and July.

“When we investigated, we found that this company offers tour packages,” he said while showing a printout of the company’s website which offers trips to Bandung, Singapore and Bali.

The claim was backed by the dates, amounts and numbers of the cheques made to the company, with the largest single amount at RM120,521.

‘Don’t drag BN into personal scandal’

Rafizi also shot down Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s defence of NFC when PKR first claimed that the beef from NFC was only sold to Meatworks in Singapore.

“Khairy said we lied because trade with Singapore is banned. So if we cannot sell beef to Singapore, then why is it that on July 12, NFC transferred RM588,585 by telegraphic transfer directly to the account of Meatworks (Singapore) Pte Ltd?”

Acknowledging Shahrizat’s fiery speech at the Umno general assembly today, Rafizi insisted that she must explain these claims.

“She has to explain one by one all that has been exposed, if not to the rakyat then at least to Umno delegates because they, too, are the rakyat.”

He added that is Shahrizat continues to drag BN and Umno into her personal scandal it will spiral out of control.

Shahrizat, whose husband, Mohamad Salleh Ismail is executive chairperson of NFC, has repeatedly denied any involvement in the controversy.