Corporation paid RM26,400 to Shahrizat, says PKR
By Karen Arukesamy, The Sun
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil received a payment of RM26,400 from the National Feedlot Corp (NFC), which is owned by her family, a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leader claimed yesterday.
In revealing more details of the alleged mismanagement of funds in the company involving the RM250 million soft loan given by the government for cattle farming, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution said yesterday NFC transactions showed a sum of money had been paid to Shahrizat in 2008.
“In 2008, when NFC was newly set up, it had paid Shahrizat RM26,400. If it was true that the company has nothing to do with Shahrizat, she should not have any transactions or dealings whatsoever with the company,” he told a press conference at the parliament lobby.
However, he said there was no details of transaction.
Saifuddin also highlighted several irregularities identified in the transactions of the NFC.
He said NFC had also made a payment of RM398,640 to Shahrizat’s husband, Datuk Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail, who owns the company, and her son Wan Shahinur Izran Mohamad Salleh, the manager of the company in 2009 for rental of the NFC office in Mont Kiara.
“Shahrizat should answer why the people’s money was used to pay rental to NFC directors,” said Saifuddin, who also alleged that NFC donated cows worth thousands of ringgit to several Umno leaders.
“In September 2009, NFC donated cattle worth RM5,281 to Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Mansor and RM2,640 to one identified as ‘YB Yunus’ in the documents,” he said.
The Yunus stated in the document is believed to be a state assemblyman.
“In 2008, NFC had also sold cattle worth RM70,000 on credit to former federal territories minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique, who only paid the price in full in 2009,” Saifuddin said.
Despite all the payments and “generosity” of NFC, it has yet to pay back the RM250 million soft loan from the government, Saifuddin said.
“Since the time NFC received the money, it has not made any repayments to the government, either the principle amount or the 2% interest imposed for the loan.”
“If it was truly a loan as claimed by the Umno leaders, then the company should have at least paid RM5 million a year in the form of interest to the government, which it had not done,” he said, adding that NFC has also not recorded any liability for the 2% interest rate for the soft loan as claimed by the government.
The NFC came into the spotlight following the release of the 2010 Auditor-General’s Report which highlighted several concerns about the project.
Following this, several other allegations about the project were highlighted by PKR, including that National Meat and Livestocks Corporation (NMLC) – a company wholly owned by Shahrizat’s family – had purchased a RM9.8 million luxury condo using the soft loan from the government.
The minister herself has come under increasing pressure to step down, with PKR’s women’s wing planning nationwide protests, and even Barisan Nasional Backbenchers deputy chief Datuk Bung Mokthar Radin calling for her to quit.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Tuesday said Shahrizat need not resign as she was not directly involved in the matter.
However, he said the company must come forward to clarify the issue following the recent disclosures.
