Embattled Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said she will be going on the offensive against her critics over the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) fiasco during the Umno general assembly on Wednesday.

At a press conference today, Shahrizat said she was not involved in the NFC controversy and would address any questions posed during the assembly.  

"This issue will not cause any problem to me," said Shahrizat firmly.

Instead of explaining the NFC fiasco, Shahrizat said her party policy speech on Wednesday will target those critics who have been harping on the issue.

"I will not explain because this issue has nothing to do with me but there is one or two messages I must convey to the people outside."

Shahrizat, who is also the women, family and community development minister, stressed that Pakatan created the issue for fear of the wing's strong support among the people.

"They fear the influence of Wanita because we are united, hard working and always on the ground serving the people. Pakatan is jealous and try to sabotage and disunite us," he said.

Will respond to resignation calls

However, when asked about calls by her party colleagues for her to step down following the controversy, she said that the matter will be addressed before Wanita delegates.

"I will answer that question during the assembly, so you come for it, I will answer during my speech," he said.

Shahrizat is a serving Cabinet minister and there are claims that there is a conflict of interest in the government award to her husband Mohamad Salleh Ismail and their sons.

Mohamad Salleh is the chief executive officer of the NFC, which the Auditor-General’s Report 2010 said was “in a mess”.

Critics, particularly PKR, have been scouring NFC’s financial statements and claim that the company had abused a RM250 million government soft loan.

Following this, some of Shahrizat’s Umno colleagues have also called for the minister's resignation , but she has secured the backing of Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.