Nazri shows hardcopy evidence
By Zuhrin Azam Ahmad, The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz yesterday produced two documents that denied links between the 1Malaysia concept and One Israel.
A letter from Apco Worldwide refuted suggestions that it was involved in the creation of the 1Malaysia concept while a sworn statement by Robert M. Shrum, a political consultant, claimed credit for the One Israel.
“These letters support each other. I challenge him to deny the letters “- DATUK SERI NAZRI AZIZ
Nazri distributed copies of the two documents to the media at a press conference at Parliament House.
“These letters support each other. And now that we have evidence refuting his allegation, I challenge him (Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) to deny the letters,” he said, reiterating that the letters confirmed that what the Government had been saying about Apco’s non-involvement in the One Israel concept is true.
Anwar was suspended for six months from the Dewan Rakyat for linking 1Malaysia to the One Israel concept while three other MPs were suspended for the same period for contempt when they revealed information privy to the parliamentary rights and privileges committee.
The three MPs are Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Glugor), Mohd Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) and R. Sivarasa (PKR-Subang).
“Apco was not and is not involved in assisting the Government of Malaysia with formulating policies.
“We have had nothing whatsoever to do with One Israel. We were not involved in the creation of 1Malaysia,” said Brad Staples, Apco chief executive for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, who signed the four-page letter dated Aug 19, 2010.
Staples also said Apco’s International Advisory Council (IAC) was formed to seek advice from former senior government officials, business leaders and non-governmental organisations from all over the world and had no control over the company.
He said three former Israeli government officials on the IAC, out of more than 50 members, had not done any work for Malaysia and had nothing to do with Apco’s Malaysian contract.
He also stated that Apco’s interest in ASERO, an independent security company was purely as an investor.
In his one-page statement dated June 7, 2010, Shrum said: “Recently, I have learned that the Malaysian Parliament has been told that Apco was among the consulting firms involved in the One Israel campaign in 1999.
“This is not true. I was there and Apco was not involved in One Israel or any other work for Ehud Barak or the Labor Party (of Israel) in that campaign.
“Any statement that Apco or its personnel were responsible for, conceived of, were involved in, or had any type of participation in the One Israel slogan coalition or campaign, is utterly without foundation in fact,” he said.
Shrum, an American citizen, added: “I provide this statement to the Parliament of Malaysia for the purpose of assisting it in connection with what I understand to be proceedings to determine whether Apco participated in the One Israel campaign or coalition in 1999.”
