Explain why FELDA unit overlooked for NFC project, PKR asks Najib

By Shannon Teoh

February 28, 2012

PETALING JAYA, Feb 28 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should explain why a FELDA subsidiary with 11 years in cattle farming was overlooked when the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) project was awarded to two companies in 2006, PKR officials said today.

The RM250 million NFC project was awarded to Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s family company, Agro Science Industries Sdn Bhd, and Lambert Sdn Bhd.

“The anchor company selection committee for the NFC was chaired by Datuk Seri Najib Razak. He must explain how he can talk about fighting for FELDA with the public listing but did not give the project which would have benefitted the settlers,” PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli (picture) said, referring to the Federal Land Development Authority under the Prime Minister’s Department.

He told a press conference today that “FELDA has the land and they need to value-add their operations so much so that they often talk about its success in rearing 30 more cows,” a reference to the NFC target of farming 8,000 head of cattle.

PKR distributed to reporters today FELDA Farm Products Sdn Bhd’s financial information which states that for 2010 its revenue was RM9.6 million.

Under the 9th Malaysia Plan in 2006, the NFC was targeted as a High Impact Project with an objective to attain 40 per cent self-sufficiency for beef production by 2010. Agro Science Industries was allocated 2,000 hectares of land while Lambert took 200 ha.

The other five companies that submitted bids in the limited tender were all established in 2004 or 2005.

Agro Science Industries then set up the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) to run the project, which is chaired by Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail, Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat’s husband. Their three children also hold executive posts in the company.

The NFC hit the headlines after it made it into the Auditor-General’s Report last year, and has continued to hog the limelight after it was linked to Shahrizat and her family.

NFCorp has been repeatedly accused by PKR of using a RM250 million federal loan for over RM60 million worth of expenses like the purchase of several luxury condominium units in Bangsar and Singapore, land in Putrajaya and personal umrah trips.

Shahrizat applied for three weeks’ leave from her ministerial duties last month after new allegations of bribery surfaced and resumed work on February 8. She was called in for questioning by the MACC on the same day.

Bukit Aman recommended last weekend that the Attorney-General charge NFCorp directors with criminal breach of trust (CBT), an opinion that was shared by de facto law minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.