Anwar to blame for negative reports by Indonesia media, says Ahmad Zahid

(Bernama) – Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today claimed that Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was the source for several negative news reports about Malaysia in the Indonesian media.

He said the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor had contacts in Indonesia, including among media practitioners, thus enabling him to disseminate such news there.

“The Indonesian media’s perception has been coming from Anwar all this while. The negative news (on Malaysia) was provided by Anwar when in fact, the reality of Malaysia’s situation is not so,” he told reporters after the ground breaking for a road from Kampung Sungai Dulang to Kampung Sungai Ipil, here.

Ahmad Zahid, who is an Umno vice-president, was commenting on his visit to Jakarta last Tuesday with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said Anwar should not have portrayed a negative image of Malaysia to the Indonesian media as it could spark further misunderstanding between the two neighbours. 

On the road project, the Bagan Datoh MP said the government had allocated RM13 million for the first phase of repairs to the 10.3-km road, which would commence on August 1 and is scheduled to be completed by June 2014.

The second phase is expected to start mid-2013 and be fully completed by 2016, he said.