Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
KUALA LUMPUR, 12 March 2012 —Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil announced Sunday her resignation from her ministerial and governmental posts upon the end of her term as a senator in the upper house or Dewan Rakyat on 8 Apri 2012.
The resignation came after public criticism and opposition to the government’s handling of the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal, where allegations that Shahrizat and her family – which control the corporation – misused government funds of RM 250 million, for personal purchases. NFC made it into the Auditor-General’s Report last year for missing production targets.Police recommended last month that the Attorney-General (A-G) charge NFC’s directors for criminal breach of trust, but the A-G has asked the police to conduct further investigations.
The Democratic Action Party scoffed at Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s decision to resign from Cabinet but remain as Wanita The United Malays National Organisation (Umno) chief, accusing the senator of wanting to make a political comeback.
She had previously resisted calls from the opposition as well as Umno veterans such as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to quit, stressing that she was “only the wife” of Salleh and had nothing to do with the embattled entity.
Shahrizat was appointed as women, family and community development minister in 2001 and held the post until 2008, when she lost her seat to Nurul Izzah Anwar in the general election.
She was then appointed special advisor to the prime minister on women affairs and social development, before being taking up her Cabinet portfolio once more a year later.
Previous posts: Malaysia: Shahrizat Jalil announced her resignation; Ms Shahrizat under pressure to quit; Ms Shahrizat denies quit rumours; Video in Ms Shahrizat Graft Scandal; Malaysia : MACC should interrogate Shahrizat about the corruption scandals
