Why BN government did not award NFC project to FELDA?

February 28, 2012

PKR said that the government agency was more qualified, experienced and had readily available resources to handle the NFC project and yet they were overlooked .

PETALING JAYA: PKR today dragged Felda into the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal and questioned why the government agency was not awarded the “high-impact” NFC project.

PKR strategy director, Rafizi Ramli, today said that Felda Farm Products Sdn Bhd was one of the six companies which had put in its application for the project in a “limited tender” process.

Rafizi said that based on the corporate information of all companies (as stated in the Companies Commission of Malaysia), Felda Farm Products was the most stable organisation to handle the NFC project.

“Based on PKR’s preliminary check, from experience, capital size, management and industry record, the company which was most competitive among the six is Felda Farm Product.

“How then can the project which is worth almost RM300 million be awarded to an inexperienced company owned by a minister’s family,” he asked at a press conference at the party headquarters here today.

The other five companies that applied for the project were Group Five Bonsmara Breeding Centre Sdn Bhd, MIG Farm Sdn Bhd, MLC Industries Sdn Bhd, Agroscience Industries Sdn Bhd and Lamberts Agriculture Trade (M) Sdn Bhd.

Eventually, Agroscience Industries Sdn Bhd and an Australuan company Lamberts Agriculture Trade (M) Sdn Bhd were awarded the contract.

Agroscience is a company owned by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Jalil’s husband Mohamed Salleh Ismail.

National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp), also owned and operated by Shahrizat’s family, was established later to assist the NFC to boost beef production.

Rafizi today argued that the other five companies were relatively new and inexperienced to handle a project of such magnitude.

A decade of experience

According to the corporate information, the other companies were formed a year or two before they applied for the NFC project which was awarded in 2006.

“Felda Farm Products was formed in 1995, giving it almost a decade of experience than the other applicants. Its revenue was RM 9.6 million as of December 2010, whereas where else Group Five and MLC Industries raked in zero revenue and MIG Farm’s revenue was RM1.2 million.

“By just looking at the figures it doesn’t take a genius to figure out which company is capable of carrying out the project,” he said.

Zeroing on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Rafizi asked why Felda was overlooked to handle the project when it was capable of doing so.

“Najib was the High Impact Project chairman when the project was awarded.

“Why didn’t he give the project to Felda which has readily available land, many settlers who have the skills and which is waiting for such an opportunity?” he asked.

He added that this revealed the hypocrisy of the ruling regime.

“The government is always saying ‘We have helped the livelihood of Felda settlers by giving them 30 more cows’ or something to that effect.

“But when a project like this comes along, Felda is bypassed and it is given to a minister’s family with no experience,” he said.

He added that Najib must explain why the more qualified Felda was not considered for the project.

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