Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz has denied that he could not attend yesterday's cabinet meeting as he was in Qatar.
In a short explanatory video posted on his social media accounts today, the international trade and industry minister said he was in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the signing of a deal between Petronas and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) for a concession in the Middle East for unconventional oil resources.
"It's just been days since I took oath as a minister, and there's already slander and fake news, that I skipped the cabinet meeting to watch the World Cup in Qatar.
"Firstly, I went to Abu Dhabi, and not to Doha, Qatar. Abu Dhabi does not have World Cup, but Qatar does," he said.
"I hope Twitterjaya will not easily fall for fake news," he wrote as a caption to the video.
Zafrul was commenting on a tweet by netizen BuletinRMS that questioned Zafrul's absence from the cabinet meeting, asking whether he was in Qatar to watch the World Cup.
The netizen had shared a screenshot of a Berita Harian news report that said Zafrul could not attend the cabinet meeting as he was in Qatar. The Malay daily has since issued a correction to its report.
'Not like skipping class'
Commenting further, Zafrul said he was in Abu Dhabi on official business, and not on vacation.
"Not attending a cabinet meeting is not like skipping class. Any minister who has to go overseas during a cabinet meeting has to get prior approval from the prime minister. If the PM does not allow it, you can't go.
"That's why, after swearing-last last Saturday, I left for Abu Dhabi the next day, and the deal was signed on Monday."
Zafrul said he would be back in the country to brief the cabinet about the deal, tomorrow.
The six-year agreement is the first investment by a Malaysian company in an Abu Dhabi concession.
Petronas will retain a 100 percent stake in the operating rights of the concession to explore and appraise resources in "Unconventional Onshore Block 1", which covers an area of more than 2,000 square kilometres in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who is on an official visit to the UAE, witnessed the signing, along with Abu Dhabi President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. - Mkini
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