KUALA LUMPUR: Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak has slammed Clare Rewcastle Brown of Sarawak Report (SR) for maligning Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak while being interviewed by the UK-based Sky TV last night.
Salleh said Brown had distorted the truth about issues in the country and tried to portray herself as a crusader for truth and justice. He said Brown talked at length about how she uncovered evidence of corruption involving Najib, yet failed to explain how she had obtained the so-called evidence.
“In fact, it is alleged that some of the evidence had been tampered or doctored. We know that this ‘evidence’ could not have dropped from the sky so how did she manage to get it?
“Or did someone give her whatever evidence she claims she obtained because she was actually being used and was a tool of this person to embarrass the Prime Minister.
“Those who do not know Malaysia would probably be very impressed with Clare who is trying to give an impression that she is a crusader for truth and justice.
“Why does Clare not be really truthful and reveal who she is serving and how much that master is paying SR because she has confessed that she does receive foreign funding without being transparent enough with the details,” he wrote in his latest blog post today.
Salleh also said Brown talked on Sky TV News as if Najib had already been convicted or indicted of a crime, when in fact as a veteran journalist she should know that one is innocent until proven guilty.
“Brown, however, talks as if the evidence is conclusive and she knows for a fact that the Prime Minister is guilty just because she says so.
Brown is the judge, jury and executioner all in one.” Salleh added the SR founder and editor had also distorted the truth when she spoke about PKR de factor leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The minister said Brown had talked about the government jailing Anwar on trumped up charges but she did not mention that Anwar refused to take the stand to testify and neither did he summon his dozen or so witnesses to court to support his alibi.
“In fact, he (Anwar) did not even produce an alibi. And that was why Anwar was convicted and not for the reasons that Brown says. “Brown says that the opposition won more than 50 per cent of the votes, suggesting that it should be the opposition that is in government.
“I am surprised that Brown is not aware that in the Westminster parliamentary system it is the party that wins the most number of seats that gets to form the government and not the party that wins the most number of votes. Is this not what happened in the UK during the last two elections as well?” he asked.
-New Straits Times
