Ex-minister: Saifuddin has distorted NFC cattle purchase

(The Star) – A former minister has slammed PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution for allegedly distorting the facts surrounding the purchase of cattle from the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC).

Ex-federal territories minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique admitted there was a delay in the payment for 25 cows bought to celebrate Hari Raya Aidil Adha three years ago, but it was because the invoice was only sent a month later.

He said NFC only faxed the invoice for the RM70,000 purchase to his service centre in Setiawangsa on Jan 28, 2009 more than a month after the purchase on Dec 17, 2008.

“Upon receipt of the invoice, the service centre issued full payment on Jan 29, 2009, via a cheque handed over to NFC on the same day,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Saifuddin was quoted in news portals yesterday as claiming that Zulhasnan had bought the cows on credit in 2008 and only settled the debt in 2009.

Zulhasnan, who is also Setiawangsa MP, accused Saifuddin of taking his statement in bad faith.

“It was a manipulation of facts in an attempt to make political insinuations,” he said.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor, meanwhile, said NFC had donated two cows worth RM5,281.87 to the poor in the Tampin constituency in 2009.

Shaziman, who is also Tampin MP, said he was shocked to learn of the Opposition’s claim on Wednesday that the cattle was given to him, and had ordered an immediate investigation.