Sharizat - "I will not resign"...

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said today that she would not bow down to pressure from any quarters to resign as Wanita Umno chief.

Shahrizat said it was nothing unusual for political leaders to face pressure and that this was all part and parcel of politics.

"If there are people who know the workings of Wanita Umno and are calling me to quit, it must be because they have their own agendas," she said when met at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport today.

She said the quit calls would not dampen her spirit but only make her stronger in continuing to serve society. As to her cabinet post, Shahrizat said she was leaving this to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to decide.


"I respect his (Najib's) leadership. So the decision whether I should remain in the cabinet or not is up to him.


Shahrizat also said she had no knowledge as to what Rafidah Aziz - former International Trade and Industry Minister and whom she succeeded as Wanita Umno chief - had to say about her. She said she deeply respected Rafidah and would continue with efforts to strengthen Wanita Umno to face the next general election.


Shahrizat who just returned from performing the umrah in Mecca, will be resuming her cabinet duties on Wednesday. She had taken three weeks leave following the national feedlot centre controversy.


The controversy arose after the auditor-general in his 2011 report stated that the centre had not met its scheduled targets since it started operations. The centre is managed by National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), which is owned by her husband Mohamad Salleh Ismail.


The government had provided a RM250 million soft loan for the running of the centre, which was entrusted to help the country reduce beef imports.


Rafidah in an interview with the Malay Mail had alluded that political leaders faced with serious controversies should "know what to do."- Bernama

'Damn it, please move out!' - Rafidah tells Shahrizat

Even as her three-weak leave from the cabinet ends today, Women, Family and Community Development minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has found herself at the receiving end of another attack, this time by a familiar foe who she replaced.

Shahrizat's predecessor in Wanita UMNO, its former head Rafidah Aziz, launched a vitriolic attack on her, literally telling Shahrizat, who has been at the centre of the scandal involving the government-aided National Feedlot Corporation managed by her family members, to "move out".

Speaking to UMNO-linked daily Malay Mail, Rafidah did not mince her words when urging Shahrizat to resign, echoing a call by their former boss Dr Mahathir Mohamad and other UMNO leaders.

“If you are a problem to the party and government, please move out! That’s it (for) everyone, whether it’s got to do with cows or anything (else). That’s the most matured way of dealing with your problems,” said Rafidah.

Rafidah also took issue with Shahrizat’s three week leave, which the latter said was to allow a probe by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency into claims that she and her family members misused RM200 million government cash for their cattle-rearing company.

“Why are you so hung up about the three-week decision (to take a break)? You’re missing the point!

“The point is: damn it, decide, don’t leave it (the decision to go) to the prime minister. Don’t leave the onus on the prime minister to decide for you,” said Rafidah, removing all brakes in her criticism of the person to whom she lost in an intense campaign to win the Wanita UMNO chief election in 2009.   

'AP and NFCorp not the same'

Besides Shahrizat's husband Mohamad Salleh Ismail, their children are also part of the top management of NFCorp. Sons Wan Shahinur Izmir Salleh and Wan Shahinur Izran are executive director and chief executive officer respectively, while daughter Wan Izzanah Fatimah is director, all of whom had been accused of drawing fat monthly salaries against a backdrop of financial abuses.

According to Rafidah, the scandal has effectively taken Shahrizat off the list of prime minister Najib Razak's so-called “winnable candidates” to represent BN in the coming polls.

“Whoever is in the wrong, please do the needful. But do not use the same brush stroke to tarnish the government. That’s why I say if you’re a bother to the government, you are a liability to the government and to the party, (and should) make the decision to move away,” she added.

The former International Trade and Industry minister, who herself was once embroiled in the controversy surrounding the abuse of Approved Permit (APs), however was quick to squash any attempt to equate it with the NFCorp issue.

“There was no evidence and there was no link to any family member. You think I’m not a God-fearing woman and do all these things? It’s a sin, you know!” she exclaimed.

Meantime, whether or not Rafidah’s outburst is a signal of her return to helm the troubled Wanita UMNO movement, is something political analysts will be eagerly following.-harakahdaily

Shahrizat tidak akan tunduk kepada tekanan untuk letak jawatan

Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil menegaskan hari ini bahawa beliau tidak akan menunduk kepada mana-mana pihak yang menggesanya meletak jawatan, menurut laporan Bernama.

Shahrizat (gambar) berkata bahawa isu kontroversial NFC yang melibatkan suaminya Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail tidak akan melemahkan semangatnya untuk terus berkhidmat kepada masyarakat, malah akan menguatkan kebolehannya menghadapi cabaran.

“Saya anggapnya sebagai asam garam dalam politik, saya dah lama dalam arena politik, tidak ada mana-mana pemimpin yang tidak melalui pelbagai pancaroba,” kata Shahrizat, menurut Bernama.

Beliau turut berkata bahawa pihak yang membuat saranan untuknya meletak jawatan “pasti ada sejarahnya yang tersendiri”.

NFC merupakan projek “Lembah Daging” di Gemas, Negeri Sembilan yang bertujuan mengurangkan pergantungan Negara terhadap daging import melalui peningkatan pengeluaran daging tempatan.

Walau bagaimanapun, Laporan Ketua Audit Negara 2010 telah mendapati bahawa NFC, yang diterajui Dr Mohamad Salleh, telah gagal memenuhi matlamat penubuhannya. Pihak pembangkang turut mendakwa bahawa wujudnya penyelewangan peruntukan kerajaan berjumlah RM250 juta yang disalurkan kepada NFC.- malaysian insider

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