Senator and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has again evaded calls for her resignation over alleged mismanagement of the the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC).

She came under fire when the NFC, which is owned by her family members and entrusted with producing beef for the country, was accused of abusing a government soft loan of RM250 million on luxury condominiums, land in Putrajaya and overseas trips.

Cornered by reporters at the side entrance to the Dewan Negara today, Shahrizat was asked to comment on mounting calls for her to step down.

She simply responded, “No, no” and left the premises in her official car.

NONE The Wanita Umno chief has refused to take any questions pertaining to the matter, and during the Umno annual general meeting (AGM) two weeks ago,  she lashed out at the opposition in her policy speech.

 

Shahrizat rubbished claims that she has had a hand in the company run by her husband, Mohamad Salleh Ismail, and insisted that she had nothing to do with the project.

Joining the chorus of criticism were her Umno colleagues, especially the BN backbenchers - Bung Moktar Radin (Kinabatangan) and Abdul Ghapur Salleh (Kalabakan) - who have demanded that she resigns.

However, she secured the backing of Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who said she was not directly involved in the scandal.

NONE Clad in a beige baju kurung today, Shahrizat was in the Senate to respond a question on assistance given to single parents.

She was seen chatting with Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Razali Ibrahim, but when approached by reporters she left unceremoniously.

The cattle-farming project accounts are reported to be “in a mess” in the Auditor-General’s Report, which was released in October.

Digging deeper, PKR has since unearthed public documents that revealed NFC’s sister-company, National Livestock and Meats Corporation, had used part of the RM250 million government soft loan to buy two luxury condominium units, prime land in the administrative capital of Putrajaya and a luxury car.

The police, after a preliminary probe into the company’s management of the fund, said they have not detected any breach of trust or irregularities.

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