KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 — Outgoing Wanita Umno chief Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said today as she retired from politics that her top achievement was getting the Federal Constitution amended to prohibit gender discrimination.

Shahrizat, who was women’s minister from 2001 to 2012, said after Article 8 of the Federal Constitution was amended to outlaw gender discrimination, "many laws” were audited to ensure the protection of women’s rights and interests.

"We changed the Constitution, which I think is really my biggest legacy lah, during my time when we got the government to amend the Constitution, where women are not to be discriminated against — Article 8,” Shahrizat told reporters at Umno’s headquarters here today during the elections of Umno Youth, Wanita and Puteri.

Shahrizat also congratulated PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who was appointed deputy prime minister and Women, Family and Community Development Minister after Pakatan Harapan (PH) won the 14th general election.

"I want to congratulate her. We’re very proud of the achievement she has made. Even though we come from different political parties, as women we work together and we’re very proud of her achievement. And I believe under her stewardship, Kementerian Wanita will do well,” said Shahrizat.

Shahrizat helmed the women’s ministry from 2001 to 2012. She quit as minister after a corruption scandal surrounding the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) cattle-rearing project broke out.

Shahrizat’s family was accused of using RM250 million in soft government loans meant for the NFC project to purchase luxury condominium units.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), however, cleared Shahrizat of involvement in the procurement of the RM250 million government loan for the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp).

Her husband Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail, who was NFCorp executive chairman, was acquitted in 2015 of two charges of criminal breach of trust involving RM49.7 million.