Salleh Said: No balance or proof of wild claims in ABC’s ‘Four Corners’

(The Star) – The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) Four Corners episode has been condemned as “another attempt” by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to use Western media as part of his Anti-Najib campaign.

“Having lost his attempt to topple the Prime Minister in Umno and in Parliament, Tun Mahathir has no option left but to exploit other channels like Western media, whom he vilified when in power, and join forces with political opponents like Lim Kit Siang, whom he jailed when in power,” said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Salleh Said Keruak in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

He said it was unfortunate the journalists accepted the presented narrative “hook, line and sinker” to weave a disparate set of events after interviewing only the former premier and members of his Anti-Najib campaign.

“There is no attempt at balance, and no proof provided to justify the wild claims,” added Salleh Said.

He went on to lay out what “the facts are”, beginning with the murdered Hussain Najadi who had no involvement with Ambank since the 1980s.

“The Prime Minister’s accounts were opened in 2011. By then, Mr Najadi had not been part of Ambank for nearly thirty years, and had no involvement whatsoever in the accounts,” said Salleh Said.

Authorities such as the Royal Malaysian Police have confirmed that Najadi never lodged any reports related to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak accounts while he was alive.

“There was no link whatsoever to the Prime Minister,” he said.

It was also “physically impossible” for murdered Deputy Public Prosecutor Anthony Kevin Morais to have written any 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) charge sheet as he was transferred from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to the Attorney General’s Chambers in July 2014, a year before the 1MDB investigation was even launched.

The A-G also publicly confirmed that Morais was never involved in any investigation relating to 1MDB or Najib.

As for murdered Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, Salleh Said said the Prime Minister has made clear he “did not know, had never met, had never had any communication with and had no link whatsoever with her”.

At no point during any legal stage was the Prime Minister implicated, even indirectly.

“The two guilty parties have been convicted and sentenced. They were not the Prime Minister’s personal guards – this is an intentionally misleading allegation that has been used to create false conspiracy theories.

“They were members of a police unit that provides rotating security for government officials and visiting dignitaries. The Prime Minister was not aware of the actions of the individuals until their arrest,” he added.

According to Salleh Said, it has been confirmed by the police, public prosecutor and the courts that these three tragic deaths were in no way linked to Najib.

“As these murders have undergone comprehensive police investigations and court process, these malicious allegations are therefore an affront not just to the Prime Minister, but also to Malaysia’s police, judiciary and criminal justice system as a whole.

“Tun Mahathir and the Anti-Najib Campaign have been trying to attack the Prime Minister on these issues for years. But there is absolutely no evidence of any wrongdoing, and there never will be – because these allegations are entirely false smears motivated by political gain,” he concluded.