13 September 2016•Update: 17 September 2016
By P Prem Kumar
KUALA LUMPUR
A Malaysian federal minister is accusing the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) of meddling in Malaysia's domestic political affairs, saying that if its interest is so great it should consider submitting candidates for the next general election.
In a blog posting Tuesday, Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak claimed the New York-based publication is behaving like politicians and campaigners, "not credible or independent media”, in its coverage of Prime Minister Najib Razak.
“The WSJ's Malaysia coverage has become desperate and obsessive. It has abandoned the fact-based principles of independent journalism to become nothing better than a partisan blog -- the willing vehicle of politically motivated forces,” Keruak, who is also the treasurer-general of Razak's party United Malays National Organisation, said.
"The Wall Street Journal should submit candidates for Malaysia's next General Election, given their strong interest and inclinations in our domestic political affairs."
Since July last year, the WSJ has released various reports trying to link Razak with monies swindled from state run investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which has amassed debt worth 50 billion Ringgit ($12.9 billion).
The WSJ and whistle blower site Sarawak Report released reports quoting documents, which they claimed to be from an ongoing probe into 1MDB affairs, claiming that $700 million moved among government agencies, banks and entities linked to 1MDB before finally ending up in Razak’s personal accounts in five separate deposits.
Razak has denied any wrongdoing in the case, and on Jan. 26, Malaysia’s Attorney General Apandi Ali ruled out wrongdoing by Razak in connection with a “political donation" in his accounts that had previously been suspected of coming from 1MDB.
While requesting Malaysians not be influenced by the WSJ reports, Keruak said the journal was forcing is own arrogance and misguided vision onto Malaysia and that if Malaysians submitted, it will erode the harmonious, stable and prosperous majority Muslim state.
"We will bend to no-one, especially neocon media like the WSJ who pushed for the disastrous foreign interventions in Muslim countries such as Iraq.
"They are partly responsible for opening up a pandora's box of death, destruction and instability."
