By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 — The Attorney-General has no choice but to charge National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) directors with criminal breach of trust (CBT) as even the police have recommended prosecution, PAS said today.
PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub (picture) told reporters that based on “facts” made available to the public, the A-G should not delay taking necessary measures against NFCorp.
“We hope that the A-G can be responsible in a case of this nature. There has been clear recommendation from the police, the A-G must act now,” said the Kubang Kerian MP.
CCID director Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan confirmed over the weekend that the police would recommend that the Attorney-General’s Chambers charge NFCorp’s directors with CBT.
But in a statement in response, NFCorp denied any CBT elements in its loan agreement with the government, even accusing the police of “unfairly” pre-empting the charge.
The company even sought to question the motives of Syed Ismail for recommending CBT charges against it yesterday, claiming the police had failed to understand the case’s “dynamics of the facts and the law”.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday the prerogative on charging NFCorp directors was entirely up to the A-G, stressing that not all investigations result in prosecution.
The prime minister said the A-G holds absolute power under the Constitution to decide if a case has sufficient evidence to be accepted in court, failing which the latter could also return the matter to the police for further investigation.
“Letting the A-G decide on the matter cannot be used as an excuse. The facts are clear. The police have given their best explanation,” said Salahuddin today.
NFCorp, which operates the national cattle-farming project, is chaired by Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail, the husband of federal minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. Their three children also hold executive posts in the company.
NFCorp hit the headlines after it made it into the Auditor-General’s Report last year, and has continued to hog the limelight after it was linked to Shahrizat and her family.