NFC settlement talks: Justice must prevail at all costs, NGO demands

ANTI-GRAFT non-governmental organisation (NGO) Rasuah Busters urged parties involved in the recovering monies from the scandal-plagued National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) to ensure justice is served.  

“We expect our legal system to do its best for the country. The litigants are accountable to ensure that the amicable settlement is not a mode of escaping justice.  

“The settlement here is to resolve a high-profile issue involving the interest of the nation and trust of the rakyat,” its head of secretariat Norhayati Nordin told FocusM.  

On Jan 25, the High Court set May 17 to resume the NFC trial to recover RM253.6 mil in loan payments and interests should parties involved failed to reach a settlement. 

Norhayati Nordin

Senior federal counsel Nurhafizza Azizan, representing the Government, said the ruling was made by judicial commissioner Anand Ponnudurai.

“Today’s trial was postponed following NFC’s request to settle the suit. The parties will inform the court on the status of the settlement of the case on May 17.  

“If no settlement is reached, the case will continue with the trial on that day,” The Malay Mail Online reported him as saying.  

NFC was managed by the husband and three children of former Women, Family and Community Development Minister Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. 

The defendants of the case are Shahrizat’s husband Datuk Mohamad Salleh Ismail, Wan Shahinur Izran, Wan Shahinur Izmir and Wan Izzana Fatimah Zabedah. 

It is to note Wan Izzana now serves as Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation’s (MDEC) independent non-executive director.   

Accountability is paramount  

Touching on the matter, Norhayati said that any kind of settlement on such cases should not provide any leverage to those abusing public coffers.  

She added that future deterrence measures must be taken into account, insisting that the Government should not set a bad precedent.  

“The amicable settlement between the parties involved must not turn the Malaysian legal system into a subject of mockery,” the NGO leader added.  

As the cornerstone of democracy, Norhayati said the Malaysian judiciary was responsible to ensure any settlement proposed should be fair and consistent with the rule of law.  

“The idea is we must demand the highest accountability from our institutions for the sake of the nation and all Malaysians,” she concluded. – Feb 2, 2022.  

 

Main photo credit: FMT

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