Ezam vs Star, Malaysiakini: 'I have proof'

Senator Ezam Mohd Noor today continued his tirade against Starand Malaysiakini, alleging the two media organisations had undermined the royal institution through their reports on the plight of palace construction workers.

“I have all the necessary evidence to back my allegations, and I will hand it over to the Home Ministry and the Council of Rulers soon,” said his latest posting on his blog.

Ezam (left) claims he will prove that the two publications were “evil manipulative elements”, out to destroy the country's fundamental institutions.

According to him, Star and Malaysiakini were attempting to incite a public outcry over a federal government project by highlighting the alleged plight of foreign labourers at the new national palace currently under construction.

Ezam said they were exploiting claims that the labourers were not being paid their wages, and blowing things out of proportion.

“Malaysiakini called the project the 'Palace of Tears' while Star is in cahoots with top opposition leaders who compared the cost of the new palace to a theme park in Europe,” he said.

KJ defends media

On May 27, Star broke the news of 1,000 foreign labourers working in the palace construction project who claimed that they had not received their wages for three months.

Maya Maju Sdn Bhd project director Md Nizam Md Sheriff denied the claims, but admitted that some workers were paid two weeks later than the others.

Malaysiakini's role in the controversy was limited to a single report on human rights groups and opposition lawmakers who tried, and failed, to enter the construction site (right) to investigate the allegations.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin defended both publications and said that it was Ezam who was blowing the issue out of proportion.

He said that scrutiny of the conditions of the workers was fair and important in ensuring that the contractors complete the construction of the palace properly.

Perkasa rides along

Meanwhile, Malay rights group Perkasa has jumped on the bandwagon, lodging a report at the Damansara police station today over the issue.

Bernama meanwhile reported that Works Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor has today said that all foreign labourers involved in the palace construction have been paid their back wages.

He said the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) has submitted a report to the government on the matter, and all things appear to be in order.

Shaziman (right) added that his ministry will take appropriate action should they detect any irregularities.

Ezam, the former PKR Youth chief and ex-aide of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, quit the party in 2007 and re-joined Umno in May 2008.

He has since taken up the public megaphone attacking PKR, and was recently appointed a senator.

courtesy of Malaysiakini