The Malaysian Insider
Nov 17, 2011
GEMAS, Nov 17 — The controversial national cattle farming project went beyond its set target, chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail said today, disputing a federal audit describing the scheme as being “in a mess”.
“In fact, [National Feedlot Corporation (NFC)] has raised 8,016 head of cattle in 2010, surpassing its target of 8,000 head of cattle. We are importing cattle from Australia and we have to feed them for between four and six months.
“We do not slaughter them soon after arrival,” Mohamad Salleh, husband to Cabinet Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil, was reported saying in a Bernama Online report today.
Today was the first time Mohamad had spoken up on the brewing scandal that began after the RM250 million federally-funded project made it into the pages of the Auditor-General’s Report for 2010.
The report released last month had criticised the NFC, pointing out that it was now “in a mess”. It further said production in 2010 was only 3,289 head of cattle or 41.1 per cent of the target set.
Mohamad’s figures today echoed Agriculture Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar’s interpretation of the project’s objectives
Noh previously informed the Auditor-General “the total number of cattle brought into the farm was 8,016 between 2008 and 2010.”
“Of that total, 5,742 were slaughtered up to November 2010. Therefore, the target of 8,000 cattle by 2010 was met. It (the NFC project) is a success,” Noh told Parliament on October 31.
The project operated by Mohamad and his two children ran into further controversy when PKR revealed that RM9.8 million from government loans to the corporation was used to buy a luxury condominium unit in Bangsar.
During a press conference today, Shahrizat’s husband disputed PKR’s numbers and said the project had purchased not one but two units of the condominium, adding that these had cost over RM6 million each.
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin earlier defended the condominium purchase as an investment when the project found itself with excess liquidity after the government ran out of funds to develop satellite cattle farms.
Mohamad today called the decision to purchase the two condo units “a good business decision” that reportedly yielded a claimed RM900,000 in rental and developer rebates during the first year.
Despite clamour for the project to be investigated for irregularities, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has passed the case to the police by saying the matter should be probed under the Penal Code.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar today said, however, that he has yet to receive anything on the matter from the MACC.
#1 by bruno on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 12:18 am
The stupid guy didn’t understand the purpose of him being given the project.It was to produce cows of his calibre of low mentality for slaughter.Not import cows to be fed for slaughter.How can it be called self sufficiency.
#2 by monsterball on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 12:27 am
First meet the target.then slaughter them..then import more.
That’s an abattoir and not a scheme to rear and produce better cheaper cows for local consumption and export.
It is another idea to ripped off public funds….with side shows.
#3 by monsterball on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 12:57 am
And who hire him?……wife.
#4 by waterfrontcoolie on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 6:05 am
Do you need such an investment to import cattle to be kept for a while before slaughtering? His explanation just shows the type of UMNO-Bumis that have been created under the NEP-UMNO process. Only KJ, whose years at Oxford could also be indoctrinated by UMNO-NEP reasoning, so can we expect the ordinary BUMI to be able to tell the difference of the so-called cattle raising and cattle laundering? What is the difference between this kind of luandering and money luandering?
Under this Gomen, it is for certain that each minister is given his apportioned share of the national wealth and leave the crumbs for the rest of the population to survive on. Is there a choice for Malaysians? You must be kidding to ask Malaysians if there is a choice or what choice to choose in such wantonness!
If all these open swindling still convince the majority of Malaysians to choose BN, then the people deserve all the fallouts that this nation is going to receive for the next few GENERATIONS!
#5 by Godfather on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 6:43 am
Wow, importing cattle, feed them for 6 months, and suddenly the cattle becomes “local” and is part of the 40 pct self-sufficiency target. A cow-brained scheme indeed.
#6 by Bigjoe on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 7:18 am
The more is known the more IT STINKS. Why the hell do they need so much money for essentially FATTENING of cattle? 8K of cattle IS PATHETIC number after how many YEARS?
No wonder the MACC don’t want to touch it with a five foot pole given the DPM approved it.
#7 by k1980 on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 7:26 am
With that huge loan given to NFC, the mamak gal would be able to send all her 3,000 cows to study in Oxford!
#8 by undertaker888 on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 7:49 am
Can PR go check if the goon bought the apartment and then rent the apartment himself using our money? That’s double whammy. When it comes to stealing, these umno goons have no equal.
#9 by k1980 on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 7:55 am
Disputing PKR’s allegations of corruption against his company, Shahrizat’s husband Mohamad said he was yet to decide if he should take legal action against his accusers, particularly PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli.
The Auditor-General’s Report released last month had criticised the NFC, pointing out that it was now “in a mess”. The report said production in 2010 was only 3,289 head of cattle or 41.1 per cent of the target set.
Why is Mohamad planning to sue PKR but not the AG?
#10 by drngsc on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 8:06 am
Telling one lie to cover another lie. There is a sevre culture of lying to cover up in this government.
Why can’t they just tell the truth?
What kind of example are they giving to the young ones amongst them or in the rest of the country? What kind of role models are these? Liars?
We must change the tenant at Putrajaya. GE 13 is our best chance. Is is coming soon. Failure is not an option. Let us all work very very hard.
#11 by Jeffrey on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 8:46 am
Someone is trying to obfuscate the issues. First of all according to NST report Dec 7th 2007 NFC’s satellite farming model boasted to target the ultimate production of 375,000 head of cattle every year”. This somewhat “scaled” down to 8,000 per year? From there further scale down, according to Nor Omar, that 8016 cattle brought into NFC’s farm between 2008 and 2010 – meaning what 4000 cattle per year? Then he said 5,742 were slaughtered up to November 2010. NFC chairman said “We are importing cattle from Australia and we have to feed them for between four and six months”. The 1st question is what does production target of 8000 cattle mean? It means 8000 cows fed, slaughtered and sold with the money coming in for NFC’s cash flow to pay expenses including interest of (only 2%) of govt soft loan. It does not mean NFC imports cattle from Australia and still feeding them here for 4-6 months. What the hack for? Where is the comparative advantage in cost and pricing? The Australian cattle have already been fed; they have far superior feedlots there, situated in large grain lands of NSW: why would they need to be fed here by NFC? What are they fed with – edible herbage from palm oil residue or our grass?
#12 by Jeffrey on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 9:15 am
It’s hard defending NFC is not messed. If not messed why does govt hold back disbursing the whole RM250 loan, having disbursed RM181 m leaving RM69 withheld? And if everything Ok how come the part of loan disbursed is not utilised for purpose intended and channeled to purchasing condos with better yields? Its hard for govt to account why it does not monitor disbursement of soft loan with 2% interest: its national project undertaken in furtherance of 9th M’ysia Plan & govt has a golden share in NFC. How to defend viability? Its supposed to bring in cattle within its farm, give good feeding, and then administer halal slaughtering and then sell at least 8000 per yr. Do we have local farmers to bring the cows there? It’s a joke we import Australian cattle already well fed from superior feedlots located in vast grain lands of New South Wales to be fed here for slaughter.
#13 by Jeffrey on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 9:16 am
Where is NFC’s value added in the agricultural biotechnology value chain? Consumers may as well buy direct from Australia. The cost is escalated going through NFC : where’s the competitive pricing here? The advantage leveraged here is “halal” slaughtering. It can sell to Domestic as well as Middle East market. But what’s the NFC’s real business – to feed cows with best fodder with nutrients or to give halal accreditation? In case former do we have the cow population to supply for feeding (we don’t have vast grazing lands – only jungles if not palm oil estates) or the technology on the feed as well as waste disposal without environmental degradation? The latter (halal accreditation) is easily competed. Those who could give halal accreditation can joint venture with and give advice to Aussie abattoirs and then accredit their beef to be sold here or anywhere.
#14 by Jeffrey on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 9:26 am
Whats the actual official production target – 80,000 or 8000 cattle per year? There’s some confusion here. Can you import (pay), feed slaugher and sell only 8000 cattles and generate enough revenue to meet production expenses after interest repayment?
#15 by Jeffrey on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 9:46 am
Where’s local cow population from local farmers to support bringing cows to be fed in NFC? I can’t understand: you can’t bring them from South America Argentina and Brazil (transportation costs half way around the world). Nearest Australia and New Zealand but one has to overcome lobbies there on animal rights against the slaughtering practice here. In fact they are moving now a legislation to ban export of Australian livestock to places where they deem cruelty is done to these animals. Besides from comparative advantage and competitive pricing viewpoints, why try to feed cattle here imported from places like Australia where they feed them better in their feedlots and cheaper?
#16 by cseng on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 10:04 am
What is NFC main objective? Giving free money for a family to run cow-business? It has nothing to do with the number of cows, it is the serious breach of integrity, accountability and transparency conducts. If this is your money, who cares about your cows and condos., do what you like.
I am pitting the cows, we get them to do heavy work, we milk them to feed our kids, at the end we eat them, and we even slaughter them to celebrate our happiness. How much different, we, as tax payer M’sian compare to these cow?
#17 by Godfather on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 10:06 am
Apparently they sell their beef to their own restaurants at a 20 pct discount. They don’t pass it on to the consumers – just take a look at the Meatworks price list, and you can see that the restaurant charges premium prices on their menu. How to lose money ? You create a sort of monopoly and then you sell the product to your own outlets at a discount to allow you to boost your profits.
On what basis is this allowed ? UMNOputras are entitled to this form of profiteering ?
#18 by monsterball on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 10:28 am
When one cheats and is exposed…the accused usually makes all sorts of nonsensical defensive comments or be like Tajuddin or Samy Vellu…threatening to expose all…if Govt get them into trouble.
#19 by boh-liao on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 11:37 am
HOLY COW! Dis PhD does hv COWsense afterall!
So, WHAT’s the BEEF? he asked n he wants 2 SUE 2 make more $$ 4 NFC
#20 by undertaker888 on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 11:42 am
When is Malaysian Agency for Cows and Condos going to act? Can we see some umno goons strangle him/herself and jump off the 14th floor?
#21 by boh-liao on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 2:19 pm
With so many COWs there, he must hv lots of COW DUNG 4 sale n export
Another instant cash project 2 increase d bottom line
#22 by cseng on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 4:19 pm
In the bigger perspective, the country administration itself is the NFC, tax paying countrymen are the cows, Umno is the company managing NFC.
They can milk the cows as they liked, throw some hey out, some cows will be happy, slaughter cows if they have celebration, kick around the cow heads if they are not happy!.
#23 by boh-liao on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 5:14 pm
Moooo, dis bull got $$ cow sense: bot NOT 1 but 2 One Menerung condominiums
Some more got a monthly 10% cash rebate fr d developer n rental of RM18k per condo
Wow, got an income of RM900,000 per unit 4 a year
Soon can get back d capital leh, so smart 1, better take over Finance Minister post fr NR
#24 by daniel on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 5:48 pm
Import cows, feed them for slaughter is, to them, a national cattle farming project. Sounds a lot like a certain national car project to me.
#25 by raven77 on Friday, 18 November 2011 - 11:16 pm
Kelentong lembu…
And Shahrizat and Lee actually run a legal firm…the PR should start investigating what else Sharizat has been stealing….
Shahrizat’s Bollywood acting will put even Sharukh Khan to shame……she should be in Bollywood….