Minister Salahuddin Ayub said this was to help meet the country’s livestock needs which had been affected by the controversies surrounding the project.

He said the project must be immediately revived for the government to achieve the 30% target of local beef production while reducing dependence on imported meat.

“We will continue with the original idea of the NFC project and will engage new operators who are capable and really interested in ensuring the success of the project.

“I have asked the ministry’s secretary-general to draft a proposal within a month,” he told Bernama here.

He said the proposal would be tabled at the Dewan Rakyat during the 14th parliamentary sitting, to ensure sufficient funds for the project.

The National Feedlot Centre, managed by NFCorp, was launched in 2007 to monitor, guide and train contract farmers.

However, the project became embroiled in controversy when NFCorp executive chairman Mohamad Salleh Ismail, husband of Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, was investigated and charged with two counts of misappropriating a total of RM49.7 million from NFC.

Mohamad Salleh was acquitted of the charges on Nov 25, 2015.