RAJA NONG CHIK LEAKED INFO ON NFC?

By : SYED JAYMAL ZAHIID (FMT)

Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) claimed today that Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being Minister Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin had a 'hidden hand' in the leaking of evidence on the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal.

The Malaysia Today editor alleged it was done to discredit and oust Shahrizat Abdul Jalil so he (Raja Nong Chik) could contest for the Lembah Pantai seat, a constituency he had coveted in the 2008 general election.

“How did the opposition come into possession of the evidence against Shahrizat? Everyone in Umno knows it was Raja Nong Chik who is the dalang (hidden hand). And he leaked the evidence to the opposition so that Shahrizat can be ousted from Lembah Pantai and then he would be able to contest that seat,” Raja Petra said in his latest posting.

The Selangor prince claimed Shahrizat’s statement that there are hidden hands to bring her down just after she returned from Mecca during her long leave supports his allegation.

Shahrizat did not state if the hidden hands came from within her own party Umno, but Raja Petra believed the statement referred to the internal workings of those in the ruling Malay party.

He also claimed the admission by PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli, the leading man in the NFC exposé, that he had obtained information from whistleblowers supported his theory.

In an interview with an online news portal yesterday, Rafizi said the exposé often come through anonymous e-mails, indicating that they were sent by persons with vast information on NFC’s financial activities.

Raja Petra said he believed those behind the e-mails work for “handlers” which, in this case, is Raja Nong Chik.

“Rafizi does not know that sometimes whistleblowers or deep throats have ‘handlers’. And I should know. I do this kind of thing for a living”.

With Shahrizat facing growing calls to quit, this would pave the way for a straight battle between Raja Nong Chik and Lembah Pantai incumbent Nurul Izzah Anwar, said Raja Petra.

The Malaysia Today webmaster claimed it was Raja Nong Chik’s men who helped gave Nurul Izzah the Malay support she needed to win the seat in the 2008 election.

Ousting the Wanita Umno chief meant it would be easier for Raja Nong Chik to take on the daughter of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as Malay support for Umno will no longer be split.

“With Shahrizat out of the way, Raja Nong Chik has a clear field to bring down Nurul Izzah. With Shahrizat still around, Nurul Izzah would be more secure (because even Umno people will support Nurul Izzah rather than Shahrizat).

“Hence, Shahrizat’s downfall does not augur well for Nurul Izzah. The Umno people will return to Umno if the choice is Nurul Izzah or Raja Nong Chik,” said RPK.

Recent by-elections’ data and surveys have shown significant return of Malay support towards Umno and Barisan Nasional after 2008.

Many of the Malay votes went to the opposition then in what Umno leaders claimed was a protest move against the party’s previous leadership and discounted the idea that Malay support had swung to the other side.

Raja Petra also claimed that Nurul Izzah will be facing an uphill task in defending her seat against Raja Nong Chik given the latter’s financial muscle.

From the recently announced housing loan schemes for the poor to private financial backer, construction tycoon Lim Kang Hoo, Raja Petra said Raja Nong Chik had splashed around millions aimed at wooing Lembah Pantai voters.

Lim is a close business partner to Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman. Raja Petra said he will expose the connection between Raja Nong Chik and Lim in a revelation “that would make the Cowgate (NFC) scandal looks like child’s play”.