PM's aide slams latest WSJ report

PETALING JAYA: The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) should be investigated for taking sides in Malaysia's internal affairs, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's press secretary Datuk Seri Tengku Sariffuddin.
His call comes after the WSJ published a report alleging that the probe on state investment arm 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) is flawed.
 
"In its latest false report today, the WSJ alleged that the Prime Minister was not interviewed by Malaysian investigators, claiming this shows that the investigations which cleared the Prime Minister of any wrongdoing were 'undermined by political pressure and a lack of transparency'.
"But it is a matter of public record, and it was widely reported by other media at the time, that the Prime Minister was interviewed for multiple hours on Dec 5, 2015 by the primary investigative body in this case, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission," he said in a statement.
Tengku added that Najib had given his full cooperation to the investigators, and had publicly instructed all relevant bodies in the government to do so as well.
"WSJ not only deliberately ignored these key facts, but lied and said the PM wasn't interviewed. This shows their biased agenda, and continues the WSJ's consistent pattern with its Malaysia reporting," he said.
Calling it the opponent's propaganda vehicle, Tengku slammed WSJ, saying that it has been reporting "unverified lies" as facts without providing any evidence to support its claims.
"Journalism should be about independently reporting news based on verified sources and facts. Instead, the WSJ has become a willing vehicle for the propaganda of the Prime Minister's political opponents, who have openly declared their intent to unseat the democratically elected government," he said.