KUALA LUMPUR – The trial of Putrajaya’s suit against National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), which had been fixed for today till Thursday at the high court here, has been postponed as senior federal counsel Azizan Md Arshad is undergoing Covid-19 quarantine at home.
According to the suit, NFC must repay RM253.6 million loaned to it for the setting up and operation of a national feedlot centre in Gemas, Negri Sembilan.
Laywer Datuk K. Kirubakaran, representing the defendant, said the plaintiff applied for the trial to be postponed as Azizan has to undergo a 14-day quarantine following his return from Sabah, where he attended a case.
“Judicial commissioner Anand Ponnudurai allowed the application, and set November 4 to 6, as well as February 22 to 26 next year, for the hearing to continue,” he told reporters after the proceedings in chambers today.
Present was federal counsel Mohd Ashraf Abd Hamid, acting on behalf of the government.
NFC is managed by the husband and three children of former women, family and community development minister Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
In its suit, the government named NFC as the first defendant, while Shahrizat’s husband, Datuk Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail, and their three children, namely Wan Shahinur Izran, Wan Shahinur Izmir and Wan Izzana Fatimah Zabedah, are the second to fifth defendants, respectively.
Other defendants are six companies controlled by Salleh’s family, comprising National Meat & Livestock Corporation Sdn Bhd, Real Food Corporation Sdn Bhd, Meatworks Corporation Sdn Bhd, Agroscience Industries Sdn Bhd, Asian Bioscience Corporation Sdn Bhd and Techknowlogy Imageware (M) Sdn Bhd.
Putrajaya entered into an agreement with NFC on December 6, 2007 for a RM250 million loan, a portion of which was used to fund the establishment and operations of the feedlot centre, in line with the government’s policy to develop and advance beef production.
The loan was disbursed by the government in three tranches.
Salleh’s family made 10 withdrawals, totalling RM180.51 million, from January 24, 2008 to January 3, 2011.
Of the RM180.51 million withdrawn, only RM8.32 million was paid directly to third parties to carry out the project. The balance was transferred to other NFC accounts, and RM118.04 million from this was allegedly misused.
The funds in question include RM9.76 million said to have been used to buy a unit at One Menerung Residence in Bangsar. This was allegedly done by sixth defendant National Meat & Livestock Corp.
At the same time, it is alleged that RM300,000 was used to make payments to one Shamsubarin Ismail for undisclosed purposes, and he got an additional RM1.8 million separately.
Salleh’s family also allegedly used the loan funds to pay a monthly RM28,000 rental for an office lot at Solaris Mont Kiara.
Other alleged expenditure made using the loan money includes the purchase of two plots of land in Putrajaya, payment to two legal firms and purchase of a four-storey shophouse at Solaris Mont Kiara. – Bernama, October 5, 2020
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