NEITHER the government nor the National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd (NFCorp) has appealed against the High Court’s decision last month that gave partial judgement against NFCorp.

The matter was confirmed by senior federal counsel Nurhafizza Azizan.

“Neither the government nor NFCorp have filed nor served any notice to appeal the decision. The filing notice of the appeal expired on November 12,” she said when contacted today.

The matter was confirmed by lawyer K. Kirubakaran, who acted for NFCorp and 10 other defendants.

Since there was no appeal by the defendants or plaintiff, the High Court’s verdict remains.

On October 13, High Court judge Anand Ponnudurai ordered NFCorp to repay the government RM33.7 million over the National Feedlot Centre project in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan.

In not allowing the government’s full claim of RM253.6 million in loan for the project, Anand ordered NFCorp, which was named the first defendant, to repay the government RM33,743,591.37, which was the unutilised amount it was loaned.

He said the plaintiff (government) was entitled to the RM86.9 million seized from the defendants, currently held by the accountant-general in escrow.

Judge Anand ordered all 11 defendants to return the land in Gemas, Putrajaya and One Menerung, which were purchased with the loan, to the government – the beneficial owner of the properties.

The judge also allowed the defendants’ counterclaim and ordered the government to pay RM10,000 in nominal damages to them.

However, Anand said the plaintiff failed to prove any conspiracy to defraud the plaintiff by Mohamad Salleh Ismail and his family and companies they controlled.

In the suit, the government named Salleh, who is NFCorp executive chairman and husband of former women, family and community development minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, and their three children, Wan Shahinur Izran, Wan Shahinur Izmir and Wan Izzana Fatimah Zabedah, as the second to the fifth defendant.

The other defendants were six companies controlled by Salleh’s family – National Meat and Livestock Corporation Sdn Bhd, Real Food Corporation Sdn Bhd, Meatworks Corporation Sdn Bhd, Agroscience Industries Sdn Bhd, Asian Bioscience Corporation Sdn Bhd and Technology Imageware (M) Sdn Bhd.

In the statement of claim, the government said it signed a loan agreement totalling RM250 million with NFC on December 6, 2007, to finance the costs of establishing and operating a National Feedlot Centre in Gemas as part of its policy to develop and increase beef production.

The loan was disbursed in three tranches and Salleh’s family was claimed to have made 10 withdrawals amounting to RM180.51 million from January 24, 2008, to January 3, 2011. – Bernama, November 22, 2023.