NFC owes RM248 mil to govt, says MoF

The finance ministry says NFC paid a sum of RM34.98 million in 2012 and 2013.

KUALA LUMPUR: The finance ministry said the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) still owes RM248 million in soft loans to the government.

In a written parliamentary reply, the ministry said the NFC paid a sum of RM34.98 million in 2012 and 2013.

“As of Jan 31, 2018, the NFC owes RM248,193,737.81,” the ministry said.

The ministry added the total amount seized from NFC and related companies under the Accountant-General’s Department of Malaysia was RM46.9 million.

The ministry was replying to Sim Tze Tzin (PKR-Bayan Baru), who had asked the ministry the amount NFC had paid the government as of December 2017.

He also asked if the government had seized NFC’s assets like condominiums and luxury cars.

The ministry further said on Feb 22, 2017, the Tampin magistrate’s court had issued a writ of possession to order NFC to vacate its premises, starting March 1 last year.

Last month, Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli and former Public Bank clerk Johari Mohamad were found guilty and sentenced to 30 months’ jail by the Shah Alam Sessions Court for revealing bank documents related to the NFC accounts leak.

The feedlot was run by NFC, which was headed by Dr Mohamed Salleh Ismail, as its executive chairman. He is the husband of Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Salleh was charged with criminal breach of trust amounting to RM49.7 million but was acquitted by the courts in November 2015.

The company received a RM250 million soft loan from the government.

It was supposed to enhance the country’s food security and reduce the need for beef imports.

NFC was set up to develop a commercial cattle feedlot farm and establish a beef production system through contract farming. -FMT