WSJ a disgrace to journalism, Malaysians can't believe anything they say - PM's Press Sec

In a media statement today, he said the WSJ's lies and total disregard for the facts in its reporting on Malaysia have been proven again.

Below is his full statement:

Today the Wall Street Journal’s lies and total disregard for the facts in its reporting on Malaysia have been proven again.

The WSJ reported as fact multiple times, including by Ken Brown on 20 April and Tom Wright on 11 March, that the Prime Minister had appointed Tan Sri Irwan Serigar Abdullah to be the new Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia and that he was linked to 1MDB. This was despite no announcement having been made, and based on anonymous sources.

The new Governor has been named today – and it is Datuk Muhammad Ibrahim, the current Deputy Governor.

Unfortunately, many believe the WSJ’s Malaysia reporting, because they don’t realise that the WSJ are allowing themselves to be used as the willing vehicle of Tun Mahathir Mohamed’s Anti Najib Campaign, just for the sake of sensational headlines.

The most basic duty of any journalist is to check the facts, especially if the allegations are serious and from political opponents. But the WSJ continue to report anonymously sourced lies as facts. They are a disgrace to journalism. As today proved again, Malaysians can’t believe anything they say.