No more warnings, irresponsible media will face stern action: DPM Ahmad Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR — Media organisations that publish twisted facts will face stern and immediate action by the authorities, Malaysian DPM Ahmad Zahid Hamidi warned today (Aug 2), as he sought to crack the whip on press outfits citing unsubstantiated claims in their reports.

Mr Ahmad Zahid who is still in his first week as the nation’s deputy prime minister also reportedly added that the media will not be given further warnings on the matter, according to a news flash by national news agency Bernama.

“No more warnings, stern action will be taken against the media found twisting the facts,” the news flash said.

In another news flash, Mr Ahmad Zahid, who is also home minister, denied that he had issued a statement saying he will block social media websites from Tuesday.

On Twitter yesterday, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar took issue with reports claiming that the order to arrest a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecutor over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy had come from Prime Minister Najib Razak and Mr Ahmad Zahid.

The national police chief said the reports which quoted unnamed sources were “irresponsible” and “malicious”.

Yesterday, police confirmed the detention of MACC DPP Ahmad Sazilee Abdul Khairi, MACC’s former advisory board member Rashpal Singh and the Attorney-General’s Chambers finance and anti-money laundering secretariat member Jessica Gurmeet Kaur.

Police said the trio was called in for questioning after police reports were lodged against London-based Sarawak Report and its founder Clare Rewcastle-Brown who has been publishing incriminating documents on the 1MDB controversy.

IGP Khalid said all three had their statements recorded to aid in the probe on Sarawak Report’s allegedly defamatory report and the leakage of official government information that was allegedly misused. The three were released on police bail last night.

He also said that several officers from Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and other commercial banks will be hauled up for questioning, but did not divulge further details.

Rewcastle-Brown has been accused of conspiring with several others to doctor the documents before publishing them in an elaborate bid to topple the Najib administration by using the 1MDB scandal.

The journalist has denied this, even saying it is considering pressing charges against its accusers.

Apart from Sarawak Report, local business publications The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily have also suffered run-ins with the authorities over their reports on 1MDB.

The two publications were suspended for three months from July 27, purportedly because their reports had created negative perceptions of state-owned 1MDB and implicated the government. MALAY MAIL ONLINE