Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil today lashed out at defence lawyer Ranjit Singh, who was cross-examining her in relation to her defamation suit against PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli.

Ranjit had asked Shahrizat about the large discounts given by National Feedlot Corporation for the sale of meat to Real Food Corporation, a company that operates the Meatworks chains of restaurants linked to Shahrizat's family.

A combative Shahrizat insisted that all purchasers received a similar discount and accused Ranjit of “making insinuations for a political statement to be made outside (the court)”.

Ranjit suddenly fell silent and replied in a stern tone: "You have to contain yourself. I am a lawyer, not a politician.”

Rafizi had, in a series of revelations on the National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd (NFC) scandal, had claimed that Real Food Company received RM2.96 million in discounts - something that the NFC has since defended as a promotional exercise.

azlan Earlier, Ranjit went through the contents of a press statement by Rafizi which, Shahrizat claimed, were defamatory to her.

The contentious remark was in the last paragraph of the press statement that called on Shahrizat to apologise for the NFC scandal as this had made the people angry.

Ranjit posited that the press statement had to be read in toto - pointing out that the overall content was aimed at Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Noh Omar for ‘inaccurate’ statements on the NFC.

Ranjit: Would you agree that the two persons my client (Rafizi) was primarily attacking in this press statement were the agriculture and agro-based industries and the prime minister?

Shahrizat: I disagree.

Ranjit: When one looks at the purpose of this report, it is primarily to respond to the statements by both ministers...

Shahrizat: He (Rafizi) was gunning for me, as the Wanita BN chief because he is afraid of Wanita BN.

NONE Ranjit: So you are saying the entire focus of my client was primarily to attack you? That everything he said about the NFC saga was all aimed at you?

Shahrizat: Yes, every time he made statements, it was (about) Shahrizat's family.

When Ranjit pointed out that the NFC is indeed owned by members of her family, Shahrizat insisted the 'attacks' were not justified.

"Correct, but he attacks to mislead... it is so obvious," said Shahrizat.

Shahrizat is suing Rafizi ( right ) and PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin for RM100 million for defamatory statements linking her to the NFC scandal.

Shahrizat: Why should I apologise over NFC?