Lembah Pantai MP and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar today told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that she did not intend to gain political mileage in alleging National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd chairperson Mohamad Salleh Ismail tried to purchase eight luxury condo units in KL Eco-City using NFC funds.

Nurul Izzah said she relied on Rafizi Ramli - who was then PKR strategic director – because as far as she knew he did a lot research and investigations into what is now known as the NFC scandal.

"Rafizi had issued a statement at a press conference on March 7, 2012. I appeared during his presentation where he clearly mentioned repeatedly that the amount (RM72 million) which was deposited into Public Bank was in his opinion used as leverage in the purchase of the eight units."

"I understood where Rafizi was coming from. In his opinion, the deposit of almost RM72 million by NFC into Public Bank could have resulted in loans being granted by Public Bank for the purchase of the eight units," she said.

"I made the statement (against Salleh) as it is part and parcel of my duties to tackle such issues. I was only doing my job. I did not do it to gain extra added advantage as it is part of my job to do this," the two-term MP said.

She was replying to questions from her lawyer Joshua Kevin.

Nurul Izzah was testifying in Salleh's suit against her in which he claimed that she was malicious in her statement.

The Lembah Pantai MP said she did not see the matter as a false statement.

“I trusted Rafizi and did not have any doubts on his research and statement. I relied on him because he was our (then) strategic director.

“I recall clearly that he had already exposed the One Menerung (condo purchase in Bangsar) using funds from NFC, which had turned out to be true,” she said.

No research

Nurul Izzah on cross-examination by Salleh's lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said she did not do research on the purchase as she relied on what was said by Rafizi.

Shafee: Do you have proof that RM72 million was used as leverage?

Nurul Izzah: Whatever documents were never disputed in the trial, especially the loan agreement.

Shafee: You said you do not believe Rafizi's statement is false?

Nurul Izzah: No reason to believe it was false.

Shafee: You trusted Rafizi because he is the strategic director of the party and apart from relying on Rafizi, you did no further research.

Nurul Izzah: I relied on Rafizi.

Shafee: All these statements did not give you any political advantage especially at the 13th general election?

Nurul Izzah: No, at the material time, I was Lembah Pantai MP.

She also replied she knew the difference between National Feedlot Centre and NF Corp, the company owned by Salleh.

On Dec 24 2013, Salleh and NFC sued Nurul Izzah over a statement she made relating to Rafizi's claim that he had bought eight units of properties at KL Eco City with public funds allocated to NFC.

In his statement of claim, Salleh said the statement implied that he and his family had misappropriated NFC funds to buy the properties for their personal use and not for the company.

Justice Hue Siew Kheng fixed Jan 21 to hear submissions as both the plaintiff and defendant close their case.