Govt considering legal action against Bloomberg, Anwar tells Parliament
The authorities are contemplating legal action against the international media outlet Bloomberg over reports alleging that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) acted on the instructions of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during investigations into certain individuals.
In response to a question from Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) during Prime Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 15), Anwar said the matter is currently under police investigation, and he would leave it to the police and the Attorney General’s Chambers to take appropriate action.
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In response to a question from Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) during Prime Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 15), Anwar said the matter is currently under police investigation, and he would leave it to the police and the Attorney General’s Chambers to take appropriate action.
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NewsTranscript
00:00I would like to ask the Prime Minister to state whether the government is ready to take action
00:06on the invitation to the international news agency Belumberg
00:10in relation to the invitation of the Prime Minister's involvement in the investigation of the SPRM
00:14so that it has polluted his image in his efforts to defend the misuse of power and corruption. Thank you.
00:21Please, Prime Minister.
00:25As we all know, this is the second time that Belumberg has made a dangerous accusation.
00:32The first one involves the Minister and the Prime Minister
00:36regarding the new casino construction permit
00:41which is actually an excessive slander
00:45and has never been raised by the Prime Minister or the Prime Minister.
00:51The second one is the September 26th report
00:55which was referred to by Mr. Mohamad
00:57regarding the direction of the SPRM.
01:01So far, the invitation is being investigated
01:06because the PDRM has received the report
01:11and has taken several actions
01:15including the representative of Belumberg
01:17and related individuals.
01:19This was on October 1st, 8th, and 11th.
01:23But because of the PDRM's investigation,
01:26I entrusted the PDRM to investigate
01:30and for the State Attorney to take appropriate action.
01:36The SPRM itself has made a firm statement
01:39to deny this slander
01:41because what happened was only a general direction
01:45that I did, including in the Parliament
01:47that I want the SPRM, LHDN, and PDRM
01:52the authorities to take firm action
01:55to fight against the slander
01:57in a firm way without any resistance
02:00and the authorities to fight against the crime
02:03in a firm way.
02:05This is the direction given
02:07but it does not involve specific cases
02:11because the SPRM and the State Attorney's Office
02:15must take firm action without fear or favour.
02:20Are there any actions?
02:23The actions are waiting for the PDRM's report
02:26and if there is a real crime,
02:31that is the decision of the State Attorney to make.
02:38Thank you, Your Honour.
02:40Your Honour, I am confident in my answer
02:44but Your Honour,
02:46it is still not enough to convince the Malaysian people
02:51that there is a serious action in this issue
02:54because as we all know,
02:56and I don't like to bring up old stories,
02:58the involvement in this investigation
03:00has caused an unpleasant episode
03:02in Your Honour's personal life
03:05a few decades ago.
03:08That is why it needs to be handled.
03:10But when Your Honour said that this is not the first time,
03:13yes, this is not the first time,
03:15this is the second time this year
03:17and it is confirmed by Your Honour's statement
03:19on 27th March, 2024
03:21where I read that Anwar Semak
03:23with a statement about Farhaj,
03:28the person named,
03:30but the result of this statement was not made public to the people.
03:33Likewise, the first statement
03:35was made by the police
03:37stating that on 24th May,
03:39on the case of Casino Freud City,
03:41the police recorded the statement of a British porter.
03:44So there was an investigation,
03:46but there was no public statement,
03:48and there was no further action.
03:50In fact, the people saw that the statement
03:52could be made public by the agency
03:54without any problem.
03:56So when the second issue came up,
03:59the people wanted a firm action
04:01and faster than the government
04:04to sue this agency
04:06which has its base in our own country.
04:09And this is not only the defenders who are responsible.
04:12A statement by Lawyers for Liberty
04:14also stated that
04:16the government's integrity
04:19in the case of Menyaman Bulombut,
04:21even those who were dragged into the investigation
04:23were pro-defender activists,
04:26including an individual named Isham Jalil,
04:29who was called by the police
04:31because of Menyaman Bulombut.
04:35So I ask for a firm and decisive answer
04:38from the Prime Minister,
04:40a personal pressure from the Prime Minister,
04:43which I am sure, God willing,
04:44the people will be with the Prime Minister
04:46in this issue. Thank you.
04:48Thank you, Mr. Bas.
04:50I respect the principle,
04:53but I have already told you here,
04:56we give it to the PDRM.
04:58And I think because
05:00this issue has been raised,
05:01I believe the PDRM must make a firm statement
05:06explaining what happened in the investigation.
05:09The investigation is only related to the person mentioned.
05:12The investigation also calls for Bulombut.
05:15The representative of Bulombut has indeed been called
05:18according to the statement of the PDRM to me.
05:23That's what I read.
05:24What happened after that,
05:26I have not been informed.
05:28But I agree with you,
05:30that things like this must be clarified
05:33so that the people know.
05:37The question is why do I continue to have a relationship with Bulombut?
05:40Bulombut is a well-known media.
05:45Even when the Qatar government held a program
05:49and my official visit to Qatar
05:52a few months ago,
05:54they invited me to be the main speaker
05:57in the conference held by Bulombut.
06:01So we differentiate,
06:02because we respect the principle of free media.
06:06If there is slander, we sue,
06:08or the police take special action against it.
06:11But that doesn't mean we have to ban
06:16or cancel all events with Bulombut.
06:19So for me, that principle must apply to everyone.
06:23As for Farhaj,
06:26if there is a report,
06:29it must be investigated.
06:32But the SPRM must act based on the investigation.
06:35What is the issue?
06:37What company?
06:38What case?
06:40I believe that you know
06:42that it is a company
06:44that involves Mr. Sultan,
06:47not Farhaj.
06:49The contract was signed by the previous government.
06:54The government that respects me.
06:57But I don't want to make it long,
06:59because it involves a lot of personal issues.
07:04Because he was my staff
07:07a few years ago.
07:09But I want to tell you
07:11that the company was signed by the previous government.
07:17At that time, Farhaj was not a member of the company.
07:21It's okay.
07:22There is a record.
07:24This is not a political issue.
07:26I respect the answer to the question.
07:32I'm not arguing.
07:34The company that is involved now
07:37is owned by you.
07:41Most of it.
07:44This has nothing to do with Farhaj.
07:47If there is a push,
07:49follow the usual process.
07:51If there is a violation, bring it.
07:53In this parliament,
07:56if there is a case,
07:58it is investigated by the SPRM.
08:01And if there is a case,
08:02I will not immediately close it.
08:04But I ask what the case is now.
08:07He said there is a case.
08:09But if it is referred to a case
08:11and I check the file,
08:13it is true that it was approved in 2022
08:16before I became the Minister of Finance.
08:18But to directly link it to the fact that he was my staff,
08:23I think it is unfair.
08:25I think this answer is clear to me.
08:27But anyway,
08:29if there is clear information
08:34about anyone,
08:36including Farhaj's brother,
08:38Dato' Sri Farhaj,
08:40in any case,
08:42please report it.
08:44And I assure you,
08:46the SPRM will not close it.
08:48This is what I want to explain
08:50so that it will not become a problem later.