Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has rejected an urgent motion to thrash out controversies surrounding the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) on grounds that the matter now rests with the court.

NONEZuraida Kamaruddin (left)(PKR-Ampang), who filed the motion under Standing Order 18(1) last Friday, said the reason given was that NFC chairperson Mohamad Salleh Ismail has claimed trial to two counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and two counts of violating the Companies Act.

"But my motion has nothing concerning Salleh. I asked about the role of the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry and the Finance Ministry in the matter," she told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

"Representatives of the ministries were on the company's board of directors (but) almost everything (of the RM250 million government loan) went for personal use. We want to know how this happened."

Zuraida, who is PKR women’s wing head, said she will pursue the issue and try raising questions during debate in the House.

She praised Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil for opting to relinquish her ministerial post over the controversy.

Zuriada was flanked by PAS MPs Siti Mariah Mahmud (Kota Raja), Siti Zailah Mohd Yusof (Rantau Panjang) and PAS Muslimat information chief Aiman Athirah Al-Jundi at the press conference.

"We have seen male ministers and MPs who are often at the centre of scandals, but who are not brave enough to resign ... Shahrizat's resignation is not a sacrifice but we credit her for her courage," said Siti Mariah.

Nonetheless, the MPs recommended that she should also quit as Wanita Umno head to focus on resolving the crisis into which her family has plunged because of the NFC.

In a related development, Petaling Jaya Utara DAP parliamentarian Tony Pua said the charges brought against Salleh are "far from complete".

NONEYesterday, Mohamad Salleh (right), had been charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code for CBT for using RM9,758,140 of NFC funds to purchase two condominium units at the One Menerung complex in Bangsar for the National Meat and Livestock Corporation (NMLC) on Dec 1 and Dec 4, 2009.

Salleh, 64, was also charged under the same section with transferring RM40 million of NFC funds to the NMLC between May 6 and Nov 16, 2009.

He further stands accused of using the funds without the approval of the NFC annual general meeting, an offence under Section 132 of the Companies Act 1965.

'Cast the net wider'

Pua, however, urged the Attorney-General's Chambers to book all directors who are said to be involved in other forms of abuse of the RM250 million government soft loan to the NFC.

"There are probably dozens of properties ... which were purchased with government funds, but which have been placed under the directors' names," he said.

NONEPua (left) was referring to opposition claims that Shahrizat's husband and children own properties in Gemas and Putrajaya and luxury condominiums in Singapore worth RM35 million.

"... it has already been made known that these directors also own in their personal capacity, other companies such as the NMLC, Real Food Company and Meatworks Corporation Sdn Bhd, which have yet to submit annual returns with audited accounts since 2007,” he said.

"The failure to submit annual returns and other relevant documents to the Registrar of Companies is a gross breach of the Companies Act and is liable to five years’ jail and/or RM30,000 fine.”

The act of transferring the purchases to their names was "even more serious" as it can be considered a crime under CBT, he said.

NONEPua also said Wan Shahinur Izran’s (left) disposal of assets in Straits Beverages Pte Ltd "to a mysterious Gold Index International Ltd", a company based in the British Virgin Islands, in December 2011, is another matter that needs to be addressed.

"This is despite the fact that funds derived from the RM250 million loan were used in setting up and operating the company. Such disposal of assets would be a clear breach of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.”

Yesterday, Umno’s Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan had said the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) may reconsider its probe into NFC as the matter is before the court.

Pua, a member of the  PAC, objected to this, saying the probe revolves around the role of the ministries that had awarded the project and granted the loan to the NFC.


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