Public Demands the Truth on NFC

 

Yesterday Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar made a statement saying that NFC project is not a failure based on the statement by the Auditor-General. Obviously Noh was commenting on the National Audit Department's (NAD) clarification that the Auditor-General's Report 2010 did not mention words such as chaotic, "in a mess" or misappropriation on the project in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan.

 

Noh seems to forget that on the 25th of January Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang also admitted that from the audit perspective, there were indeed weaknesses in the implementation of the project resulting in the government deferring its implementation in May 2009 until such time that a "viability and business model" study was carried out.

Ambrin stated that among the weaknesses was the target to produce 38,600 cows for the year 2010, as stated in the implementation agreement signed in March, 2010. It had not been achieved because the entrepreneur development program involving 130 satellite farm operators had not been implemented yet.

As if that the both the points stated by the Auditor-General are not enough to valid any kind of serious investigation on those responsible, there are documented proof that a huge amount of assets were being bought allegedly using the allocated amount for the NFC project.

At this point of time, the public are not interested in rhetorics trying to defend those responsible in running NFC as it is already too late. What the public really need are hard evidence and a professionally done investigation on all the alleged wrongdoings of the NFC.

It is already damaging the reputation of the ruling government when quite a number of prominent people are demanding the resignation of Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. In my humble opinion resigning would be the best option for the Women, Family and Community Development on the basis of her being the wife of NFC Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail.

The rakyat are demanding the truth and with the 13th General Election looming maybe that is exactly what the government needs to provide.

 

 

 

*The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer.