KUALA LUMPUR: While slapping the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) chairman Mohamad Salleh Ismail with four charges is laudable, it is however not enough, considering the many other abuses that have been exposed since the scandal broke out.
Calling for the other directors to be charged as well, DAP’s Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said: “We welcome the step by the Attorney-General (A-G) to finally place charges against Mohamad Salleh, after months of expose on wrongdoings and abuse of power by the directors of NFCorp after receiving a RM250 million soft loan from the government. “However, the four charges are far from complete and we expect the A-G to bring to book all directors who were involved in the abuses which have been raised by Pakatan Rakyat parliamentarians.
Mohamad Salleh, who is Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s husband, was yesterday slapped with four separate charges – two counts under Section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust (CBT) and another two counts under the Companies Act 1965 – involving the alleged misuse of almost RM50 million.
The charges levelled against him were:
- Mohamad Salleh, as a director of NFCorp and entrusted with the assets of the company in a bank account, had committed CBT when he dishonestly misappropriated RM9,758,140 (about 9.7 million) as a partial payment for two units of the “One Menerung” luxury condominium for the National Meat & Livestock Corporation Sdn Bhd (NMLC).
- He had made the same purchase of the two units in “One Menerung” without the permission of the company’s annual general meeting and had obtained direct profits. This charge comes under Section 132(2)(a) of the Companies Act.
- He committed CBT when he dishonestly misappropriated a sum of RM40 million when he transferred the amount into the account belonging to National Meat & Lifestock Corporation between May 6 and 8, 2008.
- He had, without the permission through the general meeting of the company, obtained a direct profit from the RM40 million and therefore violated Section 132(2)(a) of the Companies Act.
NFCorp, which was privately established in 2007, was selected to assist government-owned National Feedlot Centre (NFC) in a project aimed at attaining 40% self-sufficiency in national beef production. NFCorp is owned and operated by Shahrizat’s family.
‘More properties purchased’ Pua, who is also DAP publicity chief, told reporters in Parliament today that the charges only concerned two condominium units in Bangsar, which were not the only properties purchased using the RM250 million soft loan.
Pua together with PKR have made several allegations regarding the abuse of this soft loan given to NFCorp.
“There are probably dozens of properties which have been exposed which were purchased with government funds but placed under the director’s personal names,” he said.
Shahrizat’s three children are also directors of these numerous companies.
He added that these properties are alleged to include land in Gemas and two plots of land in Putrajaya and more properties in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
Todate, NFCorp is alleged to own three condominiums in the republic.These include one unit in the posh “Orchard Scotts Residence” costing RM10 million and two units at “Marina Bay Suites” worth RM15 million each.
Pua said that there could be more properties purchased which are not known yet by the opposition.
Allegations were also made about transfer of funds from NFCorp to subsidiary companies and also other firms which are registered under the personal names of NFCorp directors.
Pua said that these were clear cases of CBT and the police and the A-G must take “ immediate actions to stop such disposals”.
“They should charge the directors with the various abuses to ensure not only accountability, but also maximum recovery of the funds extended by the government to NFCorp.”
No comments:
Post a Comment