DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has called upon Prime Minister Najib Razak to intervene in the National Feedlot Corporation’s (NFC) scandal by recalling the RM181 million government soft loan that has allegedly been abused.

NONE “Najib should intervene in the RM10 million ‘condominium for cattle’ scandal by recalling the RM181 million loan to NFC which are not used for the purpose of cattle production.

“If he is at all serious about all the talk of a national transformation policy and the slogan ‘people first, performance now’,” said the veteran politician ( right ) in a statement today.

However, Lim said that the revelation about the RM10 million “cattle for condominium” scandal is not the only concern over the entire fiasco.

“What is also shocking is the self-righteous statement by the Minister for Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Noh Omar aiding and abetting a gross misappropriation of public funds.”

Instead of expressing surprise and shock at what he claimed is the misappropriation of the loans for cattle production, Lim is aghast that the minister had instead came out to defend NFC.

“Is the misuse of public funds from mega loans awarded to family members of cabinet ministers or cronies are commonplace under the present administration?” asked the Ipoh Timor MP.

‘Nothing amiss?’

Yesterday Noh had tried to absolve the government of responsibility over the purchase of the RM9.8 million luxury condominium, by saying that the disbursement of the loan had to follow strict conditions and that no application for the condominium purchase would have been approved.

NONE However, the minister said that once the money had been paid up to NFC it is thereafter considered the company’s private funds, and the government has therefore no say in how the company spends it.

According to parliamentary answers from the PM and Noh’s ministry earlier last week, RM181 million was disbursed after vetting by the technical committee that had oversight over the project.

“Something is very wrong about the ‘set conditions’ imposed by the technical committee for the release of the loan for cattle production.

“As this led to ‘excess funds’ used to purchase the Bangsar luxury condominium – nothing to do whatsoever with cattle farm production and management,” Lim argued.

He challenged Najib, his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin and all cabinet ministers declare their stand on whether they agree with Noh that there is nothing amiss in such questionable expenditures.

        

‘Shouldn’t someone go to jail?’

    

Lim said that the question floating in the heads of Malaysian about the project is something far more serious.

He said, “Shouldn’t someone go to jail?” is the question that Najib and Muhyiddin, who was agriculture minister when the NFC loan was approved, should answer.

NONE If it were Pakatan Rakyat leaders or their relations who had been involved, mused Lim, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) would certainly have immediately sprung into action.

“But this is not the case as there is total inaction, indifference and disinterest on the part on the commission,” he said.

The big difference here, Lim alleged, is because those accused to be involved are the family of Women, Family and Community Development minister, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil ( below ), who owns NFC.

This, Lim lamented, is despite revelations of company funds used to buy an RM9.8 million luxury condominium and finance the RM800,000 overseas trip for the minister’s family.

“Shahrizat’s self-defence that her family does not deserve the allegations as they work very hard has only opened up a Pandora’s Box.

shahrizat wanita umno victory 250309 3 “It is time that her husband Mohamad Salleh Ismail, her children Wan Shahimur Izran, Wan Shahimur Izmir and Wan Izzana Fatimah, break their silence.”

Lim said that they should appear in the public to explain the numerous queries, contradictions and inconsistencies that had surfaced since the strictures of the Auditor-General’s Report about the NFC.

The NFC came into the centre of controversy after the AG report highlighted irregularities and shortfalls in its operations.

It has since become Pakatan’s poster child for mismanagement of funds and nepotism.