MINISTER REFUTES ALLEGATIONS BY BLOGGERS, OPPOSITION PARTIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- Information Communication and Culture Minister
Dr Rais Yatim Wednesday refuted allegations, including of rape, made against him
by bloggers and opposition political parties.

"I refute the allegations, whether they are about raping any individual four
years ago (2007) or any other allegation, raised by bloggers on the Internet or
by any political entity," he said in a statement.

He described the "wild allegations" against him of late in blog reports and by
opposition political parties as heaps of libellous statements and awful, ugly
and wicked lies.

"I state readily that any report by anyone so far related to this matter should
be investigated under the country's laws," he said.

Dr Rais said he and his family members were prepared to extend full
cooperation in such an investigation, and would accept and comply with any outcome
of the official probe.

He said that while the authorities conducted the investigation, and for the sake
of justice and humanitarian considerations, those voraciously indulging in dirty
politics via the Internet or other media should cease all speculation, disdain
or action which could violate good moral character.

"All written material, reports, extracts and speculation, including
illustrations and photographs, published in any blog or website on the Internet so
far on the allegation of misconduct or rape of any individual are ill-favoured,
malicious and libellous, having been fabricated without any valid legal basis," he
said.

Dr Rais, who is the MP for Jelebu in southern state of Negeri Sembilan, said
that in that connection, this matter was a dirty and an evil political game
deliberately played up for the purpose of harnessing the dividends of opposition
politics.

Police reports lodged by opposition party PAS and its allies in Kuala Klawang,
Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan, on Tuesday following the speculation by the bloggers
was proof that these allegations were motivated by dirty politics to get the
constituents of Jelebu to side the opposition, when they did not have the locus
standi to lodge such reports, he said.

Dr Rais said: "The allegation of rape as published by the blogger has no
connection whatsoever with the so-called WikiLeaks exposure."

He also said that the move to bring into the picture former Prime Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan for
allegedly not having entertained a report in 2007 on the matter was a cheap
political deceit purely intended to manipulate the facts in the eyes of the
people because none of the allegations was brought to the attention of Abdullah
and Musa.

"Any report from abroad or within the country relating to the allegation of the
rape of a certain individual in the blogs, websites or other Internet media is a
political manifestation intended to destroy my credibility as a member of the
Malaysian government administration, where my record of service has never been
tarnished by any misconduct in almost 40 years," he said.

Dr Rais said the intention to destroy his name and image was clear, so that his
endeavour at the Information Communication and Culture Ministry was disrupted
and lead to the failure of the policies of the ruling Barisan Nasional
government, particularly the 1Malaysia concept initiated by Prime Minister Najib
Razak.

"The opposition and those unhappy with the success and people's acceptance of
the policy are resorting to stifle it through libel and cheap lies. They hope
they can achieve their evil intention by killing the messenger," he said.

Dr Rais said that with the advent of a by-election and talk of an impending
general election, such issues were created by them to politically stab and
destroy the government's noble struggle.

"They assume that they can divert public attention away from major cases such as
sodomy by raising such speculative exposure and allegations," he said.
-- BERNAMA