PARLIAMENT | Indonesian current affairs magazine Tempo’s cover story on the 1MDB scandal made it into the Dewan Rakyat today, as opposition lawmakers questioned Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s apparent reluctance to take legal action against several foreign media outlets which had allegedly defamed him with their reports.
In challenging Najib to clear his name, Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Kulai) pointed out that he had filed defamation suits against at least two opposition MPs and several local media outlets, including Malaysiakini.
"Is he refraining from taking action because he is a gracious leader? Does he not have the heart to take action against the foreign media?
"No! He had filed defamation suits against PJ Utara (Tony Pua), Pandan (Rafizi Ramli), Malaysiakini, Harakah and even former MCA president Ling Liong Sik,” said Teo in her debate of the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon.
She also waved an enlarged printed copy of Tempo’s latest cover, which features a caricature of businessperson Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, aboard the superyacht Equanimity.
Teo said the Tempo cover, headlined “1MDB corruption yacht” (Kapal Pesiar Rasuah), was just one example of recent foreign media reports which Najib should have responded to, if it were true that they contained elements defaming him.
“So I would like to ask why he (Najib) dares to sue PJ Utara, Pandan, Malaysiakini and others but does not dare to file legal suits against Wall Street Journal, Tempo, The Economist and MSNBC?,” said Teo, referring to a list of foreign media outlets which had recently published reports or comments critical of Najib.
At a press conference later, Sim Tze Tzin (PKR-Bayan Baru) similarly said Najib should respond to the “avalanche of accusations” from media outlets around the world before Parliament is dissolved to make way for the 14th general election.
“I have done my research…there are 20 other foreign media outlets that reported on 1MDB recently,” said Sim, who unveiled a roll of 16 A4-sized paper sheets the length of his entire body and more, printed with the names of all the media outlets.
“The media came from not only Western countries, but also Thailand, the Middle East, China, Singapore, Philippines and others,” he said.
The Communications and Multimedia Ministry on Sunday warned that it had identified several online news portals and media outlets that allegedly propagated "fake news" on the 1MDB scandal to tarnish Najib's image.
Najib has denied any wrongdoing on his part in the 1MDB scandal, and attorney-
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