NFC: Heads must roll, including Muhyiddin's, says PAS

Dec 13: PAS has warned of many more scandals similar to that of the National Feedlot Corporation if deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin (pic), the man who approved the project during his tenure as the Agriculture minister, continued to dodge blame over his involvement. In response to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement urging Women, Family and Community Development minister Shahrizat Jalil to 'resign before being chased out', PAS leaders said Muhyiddin too must follow suit should the Wanita UMNO chief resign. “Yes, Shahrizat’s family had badly managed the project with elements of public fund abuse, but the person who awarded the RM250 million project to inexperienced and unqualified companies should be meted out with stiffer punishment,” said PAS information chief, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. The Pahang PAS commissioner said Mahathir should be fair in his call as Muhyiddin, seen to be a close ally being groomed by the former UMNO strongman to become the next prime minister, was next in line to the country's number one post. “How many more projects under his ministry and power could end up like NFC. Can Malaysians accept such a man as prime minister?” asked Tuan Ibrahim. Echoing him, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu said Muhyiddin should be more responsible in the NFC saga. “Not only Shahrizat must resign, Muhyiddin too,” he stressed. PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar said the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had confirmed that the funds had been channelled to NFC between 2008 to 2009 even before any agreement, which was signed only in 2010. Agriculture and Agro-based minister Noh Omar had earlier explained to the parliament that the RM250 million was given through High Impact Projects Committee chaired by the prime minister and not the cabinet. "So is the committee the only one that decides everything? Without cabinet approval? Muhyiddin as former (Agriculture) minister must be held responsible. We demand to know the negotiations which led to the project being given approval,” Mahfuz added.