International daily Wall Street Journal (WSJ) should be investigated for its alleged bias in Malaysia’s internal affairs, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s press secretary Datuk Seri Tengku Sariffuddin said.
Tengku called for the probe today after the daily published yet another report on Najib and the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) saga, which the aide described as “false”,
According to Tengku, WSJ’s writers were wrong to claim that Najib had not been interviewed by Malaysian investigators as it was widely reported in the media last December that the prime minister was interviewed several hours by anti-corruption investigators here.
“The prime minister gave his full cooperation to the investigators, and publicly instructed all relevant bodies in the government to do so as well,” the aide said in a statement.
In the WSJ’s article yesterday, it was alleged that investigations here into graft allegations against 1MDB have been undermined by political pressure and that Najib has yet to be interviewed by investigators.
But Tengku accused WSJ of deliberately ignoring facts and of choosing instead to lie about Najib’s interview with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“This shows their biased agenda, and continues the WSJ’s consistent pattern with its Malaysia reporting.
“They rely only on anonymous sources and smears by Tun Mahathir and his new allies in the DAP, including Tony Pua in this latest article,” he said, referring to two of Najib’s political foes, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and DAP MP Tony Pua.
The aide said journalism should be about independently reporting news based on verified sources and facts.
He also accused WSJ of becoming what he described as a willing vehicle for the propaganda of Najib’s political opponents, many of whom have openly declared their bid to unseat the current government.
“An investigation should be launched into why the Wall Street Journal is taking sides in Malaysia’s politics and internal affairs,” Tengku said, but did not elaborate further on the suggestion.
Local Internet regulators are allowed under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 to block sites here if they violate Section 233 of the Act which pertains to the improper use of network facilities.
The same section was used last year to block local news portal The Malaysian Insider, which has since shut down.
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