Khairuddin to sue against accusation of ‘false’ 1MDB report

Khairuddin Abu Hassan is to take legal action against a Perkida leader for accusing him of lodging a “false” police report against 1MDB.

BUKIT MERTAJAM: A furious Khairuddin Abu Hassan said he will soon file a defamation suit against a Pekida leader for claiming the police report he lodged against 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was “false.”

Speaking to newsmen here today about the accusation by Pekida Seberang Perai Selatan vice-chairman Mohamad Hilme Ibrahim against him, Khairuddin said, “His allegation against me is serious”.

Khairuddin who is the deputy division head of Batu Kawan Umno, also said he had instructed his lawyer, Rajan Navaratnam to study all statements issued by Hilme pertaining to IMDB.

Khairuddin also lodged a police report against Hilme on the same issue at the central Seberang Perai district police headquarters in Bandar Baru Perda.

Describing Hilme as a mere stooge (budak hingusan), Khairuddin slammed the Pekida leader as not being qualified to question the credibility and leadership qualities of others.

“He (Hilme) has no credibility nor stature to question others,” Khairuddin said, pointing out that Hilme, as Bukit Kawan Umno division youth chief, had allegedly failed to attend division management committee meetings four consecutive times.

“He can’t even attend his division management committee meetings,” Khairuddin retorted, further alleging that Hilme did not even bother to reply to a show cause letter issued by the division leadership to explain his absence.

“Who is he to question my report? He is just a stooge,” Khairuddin said.

Adding, “He lacks any legal knowledge, is uneducated and does not know anything about my report or any of the proof I handed over to the police,” Khairuddin said, “I have already lodged a police report against him.”

Hilme earlier accused Khairuddin of lodging a “false” report at the Dang Wangi police station in Kuala Lumpur on December 13 last year, calling on the police to investigate the management of funds and finances in IMDB, a wholly owned government-link company (GLC) by the Finance Ministry (MOF).

Last week Hilme followed up his accusations by lodging a report against Khairuddin for the alleged “false report”.

Hilme told reporters then that Khairuddin’s action had not only tarnished the image of 1MDB, but also that of Batu Kawan Umno and Penang Umno.

To this, Khairuddin countered that his police report against IMDB had nothing to do with Umno, nor was it an attack against the Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Umno president Najib Abdul Razak.

Arguing that the police report did in no way tarnish the image of Umno, Khairuddin said that on the contrary, the police report was lodged to save Penang Umno from becoming irrelevant in the next general election.

“Many people are supporting me because it showed Umno has principles in fighting for the people against wrongdoings,” argued Khairuddin.

He also refuted claims that he was in close contact with former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed’s political secretary Aziz Shamsuddin, claiming that, “I have not been in touch with Tan Sri Aziz for over two years.”