Opposition party PKR has accused a former Umno minister of “misappropriating” ministry allocations to fund Wanita Umno activities and functions.
“The use of public funds to pay for party activities that financially benefits party leaders is a serious offence under the law,” stressed Wanita PKR chief Zuraida Kamaruddin (right).
The monies, she claimed, were channeled through the Majlis Pembangunan Wanita dan Keluarga (MPWK) formed under the ambit of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry once headed by former senator Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who is currently Wanita Umno chief.
MPWK, which was supposed to comprise of women’s exco members from each state, was however hijacked by the Wanita Umno state and division level leadership at the council’s state and district level respectively, Zuraida claimed.
Allocations of over RM5 milion a year were then allegedly funneled for Wanita Umno activities and functions disguised under MPWK for 11 years, since the council’s founding in 2001, amounting to RM55 million.
All this, Zuraida alleged, happened under Shahrizat’s watch while she was still Women, Family and Community Development Minister.
She added that PKR has proof of the matter and will expose everything pending an explanation and urgent action from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is in charge of the ministry for the moment.
She furnished the press with a copy of a letter purportedly from MPWK to a Wanita Umno division leader in Kuala Lumpur asking for reply to an invitation to a function and telling her that all travel claims and expenses can be reimbursed from the council’s operational allocations.
Other proof, Zuraida claimed, was being withheld until Najib can respond to them.
Dismantle MPWK
They are demanding that Shahrizat resign as Wanita Umno head, Najib dismantle the MPWK which they claim is an illegal and unregistered organisation, an internal investigation launched into the extent of the alleged misappropriation and for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate.
Failure to comply would see them disclose their evidence to the public, warned Zuraida.
Shahrizat’s press secretary, when contacted over the matter by Malaysiakini, said that he will refer the allegations to the Wanita Umno chief for her response.
This is the second allegation of corruption linked to Shahrizat levelled by PKR. Previously the opposition party had accused her husband and children of misappropriating money from a RM250 million government funded national feedlot and cattle rearing project, the now infamous NFC scandal.
Shahrizat and her family have maintained their innocence, though the matter became the target of both the MACC and police Commercial Crimes Investigation Department, with her husband and NFC chairperson Salleh Ismail currently facing charges of CBT and breaching the Companies Act.
The former minister had resigned her cabinet post after mounting public pressure over the NFC scandal, but has held on tenaciously to her party post, despite many voices from within and without Umno calling for her to let go of her Wanita chief post as well.
In statement today, NFC executive chairperson Mohamad Salleh Ismail (left) said the company is taking legal action against the bank for having “failed to comply with the demands of the companies and directors”.
Rafizi (right) had allegedly disclosed NFC directors’ personal banking information and credit ratings during a press conference on March 7, exposing the directors’ personal purchase of eight KL Eco City units.
Mohamad Salleh, who was giving his statement on the matter at the Travers police station, said Rafizi’s “numerous slanders had resulted in disrepute, public odium and outrage”.
Syed Ismail (left), is known to be vocal and had gone public to recommend that NFC chairperson Mohamed Salleh Ismail be charged with criminal breach of trust.
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Its strategy director Rafizi Ramli also recommended that if the company fails to commence repayment of the loan, which has been in default since January, the government should auction of their assets “to recover the public funds”.
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Its strategy director Rafizi Ramli also recommended that if the company fails to commence repayment of the loan, which has been in default since January, the government should auction of their assets “to recover the public funds”.
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According to PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli, NFC executive chairperson Mohamad Salleh Ismail and executive director Wan Shahinur Izran Salleh had sold off the properties for RM3 million to one Insun Development Sdn Bhd.
The sale of the properties, said Rafizi, indicates that the company is “winding down” and is cashing out their assets.
He said assets were paid for using loans by the same bank which had extended NFC directors credit to purchase RM34 million worth of properties at the KL Eco City development project.
Noh (left) insisted the objective of the project is to increase the production of beef, as such the government seeks to appoint a new company to take over the project to ensure its continuity.
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Pua argued that should the RM250 million loan not be recovered, all the actions taken against Salleh and Shahrizat’s exit from cabinet would come to naught.
Rafizi explained that the two malls are next to each other, causing his staff, who had gone to view the site, to make the mistake.
The website of Rochester Mall lists Farmhouse Supermarket as its biggest tenant on the second floor.
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