FOREIGN MEDIA ALLEGATIONS TO TOPPLE MALAYSIAN PM

MELAKA (Malaysia), April 24 (Bernama)-- Information, Communications and
Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim said that the allegations by the foreign media
against the new leadership of Najib Tun Razak were a grand design to
topple the prime minister.

He said this was not something new because the foreign media had used the
same tactic, and failed, during the time when Dr Mahathir Mohamad helmed the
country.

The foreign media would use various terminologies relating to the prime
minister's character to give the impression that he was unacceptable (to certain
parties, he told reporters after a tahlil prayer for the late Abdul Ghafar
Baba, at Masjid An-Nur in Peringgit here Thursday night.

The function organised by the National Archives to commemorate the third
death anniversary of the former deputy prime minister was attended by Ruler of
Melaka state Mohd Khalil Yaakob and Chief Minister Mohd Ali
Rustam.

Rais was asked to comment on Dr Mahathir's statement that there was a
continuous and concerted effort by the foreign media to put Najib in bad light
as prime minister.

Rais said Najib had been linked to "laws" which could tarnish his good name
by several parties, including People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat
-PKR) leaders, when these were mere allegations made by the media in Europe or
the United States and he believed that the allegations would die down.

"However, we must study (the situation) and if I have the chance, I want to
have a debate with those trying to implicate our leader with unbecoming and
nonsensical words."

On Zaid Ibrahim who was often quoted by the foreign media to run down
Najib, Dr Rais said he challenged the former minister to a public debate if the
latter believed that his allegations against Najib were true.

-- BERNAMA