Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said today that her family does not deserve the attacks over the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) project, which they own and manage.

"I think ... my family does not deserve, you know, the kind of things said by the opposition. [See correction below]

"I don't think they deserve it (the accusations), because they work very hard," she said when asked whether her family deserved the multi-million project.

After almost two weeks of silence on the controversy, she also commended the ministers who had answered questions and tackled criticisms over the cattle rearing project.

"The agriculture and agro-industries minister has responded, and I have been informed. The answers are quite clear... I am happy because the ministry will monitor the project," she said after officiating an arts exhibition in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

Hitting back at her detractors who questioned the propriety of her family members being awarded the project, and criticisms centering on its currently troubled state of affairs, Shahrizat said her family does not deserve is all the brickbats that have been thrown at them.

"I think my family does not deserve to get these things (being) said by the opposition," she added.

'We are not easily broken'

Shahrizat also accused the opposition of seeking to use the controversy against the women's wings of Umno and BN.

"To me, I see this as part of a political agenda. This is an attempt by the opposition to weaken the spirit and actions of Umno Wanita.

"We are not so easily broken," she asserted.

"I have been in politics for a long time. They (the opposition) are not really interested in the NFC (itself).

"It is directed to me, as Umno Wanita chief, and as BN Wanita chairperson," she added.

Shahrizat trained her sights particularly on her counterpart in Pakatan Rakyat, PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin, for implicating her family in the project.

"Their political agenda is very clear. They are shaky, just like that PKR Wanita chief. I'm ashamed that a Malaysian woman can be like that," she sneered.

Correction: We have earlier reported Shahrizat said her family "deserved" the NRC project. It should be "her family doesn't deserve the opposition attack". We regret the error.

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