KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today took a swipe at news portal Sarawak Report and its editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown, calling allegations that he had paid RM90 million to Pas leaders “ridiculous”.
He said the lies were “proven” when Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang filed a defamation suit against Rewcastle-Brown in the United Kingdom.
“I didn’t pay... the accusation is ridiculous. But look at the situation now. Since Pas sued her (Rewcastle-Brown), she has started to get panicky.
“I don’t want to comment further on this because it’s an ongoing court case. So let’s wait for the decision,” he said during the Umno Social Media Convention at Putra World Trade Centre.
Najib said such stories were being propagated by the opposition with the purpose of tarnishing his image and that of the government.
“Too many fake news on social media now that we (Umno members) must counter. Even if they keep making wild accusations, we must show the truth.
“They (opposition) are doing this because they know that on social media, they don’t need to present the truth. It’s all about perception.”
Recently, Rewcastle-Brown had reportedly named former Bar Council president Datuk S. Ambiga as the source who had alleged that senior Pas leaders received money from Najib.
Rewcastle-Brown had reportedly mentioned in her Defence and Counterclaim to the suit that she had spoken to Ambiga in July last year about Najib, 1Malaysia Development Bhd and Pas.
Ambiga has so far refused to comment on the issue, except to say that she was bound by law not to say anything as the matter was still one for the courts in the UK.