Anwar: Why hasn't Noh quit over cows and condo?

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has hit out at Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Noh Omar for remaining in his position despite the high-profile RM250 million National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal which involved the ministry.

Anwar had turned the tables on Noh after the latter had said Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim should resign if he fails to resolve the state's water woes.

“Noh Omar (right) had not resigned because of the cows and condo matter for which he is responsible, so why he is nosing around asking people to resign?” he said at a press conference in Shah Alam last night.

The National Feedlot Centre project, which was intended to be the country’s beef valley, has been plagued by controversy after its primary company, which is owned by Umno Wanita chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s husband Mohamed Salleh Ismail and children, was accused of misappropriating part of its RM250 million loan on luxury properties and holidays.

Responding to Malay rights group Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali’s call for Anwar to clarify whether he was a member of the Freemasonssecret fraternity, the Permatang Pauh  dismissed the matter as slander.

“It’s to gain election capital.. In this holy month of Ramadan, he as a Muslim should stop slandering people,” he said.

Anwar’s aide Najwan Halimi had yesterday responded to the allegation, saying that the Anwar Ibrahim listed as a member of the Freemasons was a case of mistaken identity and the real person was in fact a “pot-bellied Arab man”.

On a separate matter, Anwar said Pakatan Rakyat will be looking into whether it would be supporting the planned ‘Janji Bersih’ rally by groups associated with electoral reform group Bersih.

“Our council had last week already decided to have our Merdeka celebration at Shah Alam at around the same time but we will look into this and see how we can coordinate with them,” he said.