20 cows, 4 workers and abandoned buildings left at National Feedlot Centre

By admin-s On Dec 8, 2014

(TMI) – Far from its ambitious plan to be Malaysia’s premier beef exporter, the farm at the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) is today a picture of desolation with cows wandering amid overgrown grass and dilapidated buildings.

Two years after PKR lawmaker and whistleblower Rafizi Ramli exposed the alleged abuse of federal funds, the 2,000ha farm in Gemas, Negri Sembilan, has only some 10 to 20 cows, a handful of staff and a suit hanging over its management for failing to repay a RM250 million government loan.

The Malaysian Insider on a survey to the farm last week found cows roaming freely while the abattoir buildings are showing cracks and signs of decay.

Previously, the cattle were placed in barns but they were set loose after the scandal broke.

“After the scandal, there was no food, so the cows were allowed to graze around the farm,” one of four employees left at the farm said during the visit.

Declining to be named, the four said their task was to guard the property and check on the cows with two employees on every shift to patrol the area.

“If any of the cattle becomes sick or dies, we just take pictures,” one of them said.

They also have to ensure that no one breaks into the farm as furniture, air-conditioning units and other office equipment are still in some of the buildings. Some electric cables were stolen from the farm last year, they said.

They said the fate of the farm would only be known next year, whether it would be handed over to the Negri Sembilan government or tendered to private companies.

Already, some 500ha of the land have been planted with oil palm.