KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 27): The Government’s RM250 million lawsuit against National Feedlot Corp Sdn Bhd (NFCorp), its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail and nine others will resume on Nov 7, as the parties have failed to reach an out-of-court settlement.
Salleh and nine others are accused of misappropriating RM118 million from a RM250 million loan granted to NFCorp by the Government in December 2007 to set up and operate a national feedlot centre in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan.
The Government is seeking from the accused RM253.62 million, including accrued annual interest of 2% from May 1, 2019.
The Edge reported in January 2022 that the parties were negotiating a settlement, and the trial, which was at its midway point, had been put on hold since then, pending the outcome of the settlement.
During case management held via Zoom on Thursday (Oct 27) before judge Anand Ponnudurai, lawyers representing Salleh, NFCorp and nine others informed the judge that a settlement had not been reached between the parties.
The lawyers representing the defendants were Datuk Seri Rajan Navaratnam and Datuk K Kirubakaran.
The Government, meanwhile, was represented by senior federal counsel Azliza Ali.
The judge then ordered for the trial to resume from Nov 7 to 11.
Salleh is poised to take the stand in his defence on Nov 7. He is the husband of former women, family and community development minister Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
Speaking to The Edge after case management, Rajan said that while the trial may resume on Nov 7, negotiations will still be ongoing outside the court to reach a settlement.
“As per my client’s instructions, negotiations are still ongoing, but since there has not been any definite settlement, the trial will proceed accordingly,” he said.
The trial began in February 2020. The Government closed its case on March 17, 2021.
Salleh was slated to take the stand in his defence in January this year, when both sides asked for an adjournment pending the settlement.
Apart from Salleh and NFCorp, the others accused are the couple’s three children, namely Wan Shahinur Izran, Wan Shahinur Izmir and Wan Izzana Fatimah Zabedah, as well as six other companies owned by the family.
The Government is also seeking a personal declaration from Salleh and his three children that they are personally liable for the RM118 million, and that they will repay the Government the RM118 million.
Wan Shahinur Izran and Wan Izzana were also directors of NFCorp.