KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 — Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil denied again today any wrongdoing in the RM250 million National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal, stating she “is only the wife” of the national cattle farming project’s chairman. The women, family and community development minister said “legally and professionally, I am not involved in the NFC.”
“I am just the wife of the NFC chairman. All women have families and husbands,” she told reporters today.
The Wanita Umno chief (picture) has faced growing calls to quit as minister from within Umno, including from influential former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, after repeated attacks from the opposition over the project which was awarded to her husband and three children, who are directors in the NFC.
But she said today, “Nobody needs to tell me what to do.”
“As a responsible leader and veteran in politics who loves Barisan Nasional (BN), I know what action needs to be taken and I will discuss it with Datuk Seri Najib Razak,” she said, referring to the Umno president and prime minister.
She refused to reveal what action she was mulling but said, “I will decide of my own volition.”
The senator had gained the support of both the Wanita and Youth wings when she denied any wrongdoing in the project at the recent Umno general assembly.
But Umno leaders, including senior Sabah MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin, continued to press for her to resign instead of “troubling others” before Dr Mahathir also weighed in with quit calls.
Shahrizat’s husband Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail also told The Malaysian Insider earlier today he was no longer speaking to the media after PKR’s latest round of allegations.
PKR alleged yesterday RM10 million had been siphoned off the cattle farming project’s funds to purchase yet another luxurious condominium unit.
PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution said the 2,282-square-foot condominium, one of the largest available at the posh Orchard Scotts Residences on Anthony Road, was purchased for RM10 million by Shahrizat’s family members on January 27 last year.
Mohamad Salleh broke his family’s silence on an earlier condominium purchase, insisting two units at One Menerung, Bangsar were purchased for RM6.9 million each as investments.
The police are investigating the allegations but have said it has so far found no element of criminal breach of trust.
December 21, 2011
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