Curtain falls for the NFC scandal?
By LIM SUE GOAN
Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE
Sin Chew Daily
Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil finally announced that she will step down as Women, Family and Community Development Minister when her term as senator ends on 8 April, five months after the outbreak of the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal. Meanwhile, her husband Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail has also been charged in court.
It showed Umno’s intention to put an end to the NFC scandal and get rid of the political burden, so that it can face the next general election, most likely to be held in May and June.
On the day of the opening of the 12th Parliament’s fifth session, Shahrizat announced to resign from her minister post and the next day, her husband was charged. It was indeed a careful arrangement to prevent the Pakatan Rakyat from attacking the issue during the Parliament session and the Public Account Committee meeting.
However, has Umno really got rid of the burden? Is it true that it is no longer an issue to be attacked in election? Obviously, it is now still to early to say so.
Firstly, the NFC scandal has caused harm to the ruling coalition. When the Auditor-General report exposed the NFC weaknesses in October last year, some departments did not take it seriously and handle it promptly, leaving an opportunity for the Pakatan Rakyat to continually digging out more information.
The purchase of luxury apartments in Kuala Lumpur was exposed in the beginning and later, the NFCorp was also accused to have purchased apartments in Singapore and Kazakhstan. The NFCorp has also been accused of paying credit-card debts with low-interest loans and planning to open a supermarket in Singapore.
Was someone actually supervising the operation of the NFC? How could there be so many management problems?
The government’s credibility has been damaged and whenever the BN talks about transformation plans during the election period, the Pakatan Rakyat will just need to remind the people of the NFC scandal.
Slow response is the main reason for the expansion of damages. The Prime Minister has the right to dismiss minister. However, the Wanita Umno has 1.3 million members and dismissing the Wanita Umno chief might cause a rebound of over a million people. It is a political concern.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had made it clear during the launching ceremony of the Jelajah Sayang 1 Malaysia programme that the BN must gain women’s support to win the next election.
When Shahrizat was in her three-week leave in January, Umno leaders hoped that she could resign when returned from overseas in consideration of the party’s interests. However, not everyone can sacrifice for their parties.
Administratively, it lacks efficient to take five months to settle the issue. Politically, it is considered as too long even to take a day to settle it, let alone 150 days.
Secondly, Shahrizat might still be attacked for keeping her Wanita Umno chief post.
Shahrizat steps down when her term as senator ends. In politics, it is not a resignation because of wrongdoings, but just a temporary leaving and might make a comeback in the future.
Since she is still holding a party position, she can still serve as a senate and even contest in the general election.
However, also because she is still holding a party position, it gives a reason for the Pakatan Rakyat to continue attacking.
If she is sincere, she should also resign from the party position, so that the party can thoroughly get rid of the NFC scandal.
Shahrizat also very much cherish her own feathers. She refused to make her resignation announcement on that day after she talked to Najib at a Wanita Umno event.
The NFC scandal has reflected a fact that Umno has lost its previous daring to take responsibility and the spirit to sacrifice. It is the greatest fatal wound in defending Umno’s regime.
