Pakatan convoy refused entry to feedlot facility

Efforts by a convoy of Pakatan Rakyat leaders, including several Negri Sembilan assemblypersons, to visit the controversial National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) farm in Gemas today proved futile as they were denied entry by security guards.

PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli had last week vowed to hold a press conference at the NFC facility if answers from the authorities on certain irregularities with the RM73.64 million project were not forthcoming.

Upon arriving at the 2,000-acre site at around noon today, the nearly 50 Pakatan leaders and activists had to settle for an hour-long wait in the sun as they sought to persuade the security guards waiting behind the facility gates to allow them entry.

“How can you stop us from entering when the minister-in-charge has said we can inspect the project since it has succeeded and there’s nothing wrong with it?” Rafizi (right) asked the security guards.

Assertions by several of the convoy members that as elected representatives of the rakyat, it was their prerogative to see how taxpayers' money was being used also fell on deaf ears.

Rafizi assured all those present that even though the NFC management had refused to let him and the Negri Sembilan Pakatan leaders in, it would not stop him from pursuing this matter to the next level.

They left the site around 1.30pm, after holding a brief press conference in front of the facility.

Rafizi told Malaysiakini that he will make another attempt to get an appointment from the executive chairman of the NFC, Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail, to visit the farm.

Negri Sembilan Pakatan was represented by state assemblypersons Aminuddin Harun (PKR-Sikamat), M Ravi (PKR-Port Dickson), Mohd Taufek Abdul Ghani (PAS-Paroi), P Gunasekaran (DAP-Senawang) and Ng Chin Tsai (DAP-Temiang).

Gunasekaran and Ravi introduced themselves as assemblypersons and insisted that they be allowed to go into the farm to see for themselves the conditions of the NFC, but the security guard still refused them entry.

Later, speaking to reporters, Ravi vowed to raise this issue at  the Negri Sembilan state assembly sitting on Nov 21.