BERUAS, 4 FEBRUARY, 2012: Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who is scheduled to resume duties as Women, Family and Community Development Minister on Wednesday after three weeks' leave, said today she is ready and unafraid to face accusations over the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) issue.

   
The Wanita Umno chief said the allegations hurled at her have made her more spirited to face all kinds of tests.
    
"It's okay. We are politicians. We become more spirited when we are subjected to tests," she told reporters at an event to consolidate the Wanita Barisan Nasional (BN) election machinery, here. The event was launched by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
    
Shahrizat was asked to comment on a statement by PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli in the PKR official portal, Keadilan Daily, recently that the party would greet Shahrizat's return from leave with more revelations of alleged malpractices involving her family.
    
Shahrizat was faced with the issue of the NFC, helmed by her husband Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail, after the 2010 report of the auditor-general released last October stated that the NFC had failed to achieve its target.
    
The issue heated up after the opposition alleged irregularities over the RM250 million government allocation to NFC.
    
The National Feedlot Centre is a project in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan, aimed at boosting the production of beef to reduce dependence on import of the meat.
    
On Wanita Umno's preparation to face the next general election, Shahrizat said she would ensure that the election machinery is always at the ready.


- Bernama