Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Najib slams fake manifesto

PETALING JAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has slammed the fake manifesto attributed to him in an online report, calling it a complete lie and an attempt to tear Malaysians apart.
“I am shocked and am still totally disappointed by the Internet story.
“As I began to read about a manifesto falsely attributed to me and reported by Malaysiakini, I was truly saddened.
“The manifesto is a complete fabrication. I said no such thing, There is no such support group,” he said in his blog posting.
The Umno deputy president was responding to the online report on Sunday night which carried the manifesto that was e-mailed from a purported ‘Najib Support Group’.
The report said it was Najib’s manifesto to back his bid for the Umno presidency. Najib’s office issued a statement on Monday denying that he issued such as a manifesto.
The said Malaysiakini journalist had since resigned from the online news portal stating that it was her fault and she was willing to take full responsibility.
Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan said they deeply regretted the error and had apologised to Najib.
“We are upset with the incident. The journalist has resigned effective immediately,” he said Tuesday, adding that the report should not have been published.
Najib said he was very upset with the lie as it “was a more subtle bit of slander.”
“The writer (whoever he or she or they may be) was attributing dangerous words to create deep divisions among Malaysians, to tear apart the fabric of the unified Malaysia that I and so many other leaders of Barisan Nasional have been trying to protect, nourish and celebrate for many years,” he added.
Najib said the manifesto did not reflect his thinking nor track record in the public service.
“I repudiate the story, I repudiate the reporting standards and I repudiate the sheer audacity that Malaysians can be influenced by such an obvious smear campaign.
“The manifesto is so clearly a fabrication, so clearly and attempt to define me, so clear in its intent to manipulate the public’s emotions in a divisive and damaging way,” he added.
He called on Malaysians not to be distorted by “these mess of half-truths and outright lies that others use to promote their selfish agenda.”
Najib also called for an apology and retraction of this “ridiculous story.”
“My singular focus remains to ensure a stable economy as we weather the global uncertainties and not allow the forces of regressive, divisive and vulgar politics to take root in our beloved country,” he added.

tunku : sometimes it hard to believe the news. hope the above will be a lesson to all.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

a rightful thing to do by the reporter to quit her job immediately as her report might raised tension among the public.

hope that will be a lesson to all of us.never believe 100% any news we reveives thru email.it might just be another agenda and lies to smear other people.

since Teresa sued Utusan Malaysia,why not Najib sue Malaysiakini?hehehe.drastic move eh.

Anonymous said...

Since the journalist from malaysiakini has resigned to take the responsilitiy of the issue of reporting without ensuring the truth, how about those people from Utusan who has done it most of the time to bring disunity to the country? Why don't the people have some moral value and conscience to do the same thing? Resign lah.

Unknown said...

nasib baik wartawan tu mengambil tindakan yang bijak dengan meletak jawatan dan tidak berdolak-dalik tentang artikel yang dikeluarkan.kalau tidak lagi panjanglah ceritanya.

Anonymous said...

A good move to divert many issues.
Who will buy this dramatic stunt.
Sun Tzu-use diversionary tactics,divert the enemy with something odd and unexpected.

Unknown said...

Cannot sue them. Sensitive lah!. There are not malays. Say Sorry is enoughlah! Then they will call Najib and UMNO being racist lah! small matters mah!!

Anonymous said...

Ini dah kira kes besar, menyebarkan fitnah. Wartawan perlu bertanggungjawab dengan apa yang mereka buat. Kalau nak cerita pasal Utusan, kes ni tak boleh lawan. Mereka2 ni lagi selalu bawak cerita2 sensasi, kebenaran cerita pun tak tahu. Memang patut apa yang dia ni sudah buat.

Anonymous said...

It's a disgrace to even call that journalist, ' a journalist'. She obviously ignore the ethics and responsibilities of a journalist.
People like her made news erroneous in Malaysia.

Anonymous said...

How can justify whether the report is fake?

Anonymous said...

The reporter's resign does not do any favor to the public at all for such irrsponsible news if it not true.
Sue her as an examplar to other reporters. Apologies and resignation is just an easy way out but damage has been done. Funny thing is DPM has to do the explanation, joke of the year!!!