Monday, November 16, 2015

Najib: YaPEIM can take action against unfounded allegations

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM) can take action against anyone making unfounded allegations against it.

He said this when replying to a reporter's question at a press conference here on allegation that funds from YaPEIM, which should be utilised for charity work, had been misused to pay for trips by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and his delegation to travel abroad.

On the action by Jamil Khir to lodge a police report on the allegation, Najib said: "If he is innocent, he can take any action whether (to sue for) criminal defamation or civil defamation."

Asked whether the matter was an effort to taint the Government's image, he said such things always occurred.

On Sunday, Jamil Khir made a police report at the Putrajaya District Police Headquarters on the allegation that he had misused public donations to pay for his trips abroad.

Jamil Khir said the allegation, made by the director of NOW (National Oversight and Whistleblowers) Akmal Nasir, that the programme in the United States was for enjoyment using funds meant for the orphanage, was slander and an attempt to question his credibility and integrity as a minister.

The minister explained that his visit to the United States from May 21 to 29, 2014 was to attend a programme, organised by an agency under his supervision in collaboration with the Malaysian Embassy in the US.

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