Rafidah chided for asking Shahrizat to step down over NFC issue

PETALING JAYA: Former Wanita Umno chief Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz has come under fire for asking her successor to step down over the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) controversy.

Kedah Wanita chief Datuk Maznah Hamid said Wanita members had stood by Rafidah when she was at the centre of the Approved Permit (AP) issue in 2005.

Rafidah's career was almost derailed when she was accused of giving unfair allocations of APs for imported cars when she was International Trade and Industry Minister.

“Why is Rafidah quick to blame her successor (Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil) when the authorities have yet to complete their investigations?'' Maznah said yesterday.

She was responding to a report in an English tabloid, which quoted Rafidah as saying that those who had become a burden to the party should relinquish their posts.

Maznah, who is a Wanita exco member, said many of the movement's members had questioned Rafidah's remarks.

“They told me that they were puzzled over Rafidah's motive for asking Shahrizat to take the rap for a business matter involving her husband.

“There is no law in the world that penalises a spouse whose partner is involved in a business deal that has gone awry,” she added.

Maznah chided Rafidah for using the media to slam a Wanita comrade.

Maznah said more than 90% of Wanita members were united behind Shahrizat after she took the initiative to bring together various factions during the past three years.

“We can see that Wanita members are working harder than ever to win the general election.

“Our opponents fear us now as we are going places with our Skuad Sayang, Juara Rakyat and many other people-oriented programmes,” she said.

Maznah also said that Wanita members had stated that Shahrizat should continue to lead the movement.

Rafidah had said that vacating all posts is the most matured way of dealing with the problem, whether it is related to cows or anything else, adding it should not be left to the Prime Minister to decide.

She was also quoted saying such leaders should not pass the burden to party leadership, as they do not fit Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tin Razak's definition of a “winnable candidate”.

Cheras Umno chief Datuk Wira Syed Ali Alhabshee agreed with Rafidah that Umno leaders who had become a burden to the party should immediately resign.