KUALA LUMPUR (March 20): Allegations that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) appointed an agent to obtain a commission from the government's settlement in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case is slander aimed at tarnishing the good image of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, said Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

Wan Saiful said the defamation strategy had long been practised by opposition parties and is now being continued with concerted efforts to tarnish the good name of the premier.

He stressed that allegations that the government was not transparent in dealing with the 1MDB and Goldman Sachs cases could be described as a character assassination strategy against the prime minister who had proven to be a respected leader and firmly focused on looking after the welfare of the people.

“His political rivals are trying to tarnish his image with repeated accusations because they know they have no other prime ministerial candidate.

"They do not have a prime ministerial candidate who cares about the people, [and who] is clean, credible and has integrity like Tan Sri Muhyiddin,” Wan Saiful said in a statement today.

Earlier, a news portal reported that the office of a Selangor state assemblyman had lodged a report urging the police to investigate allegations that RM500 million was paid to a political party through a high-profile lawyer.

In the report lodged at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters here, the money was alleged to be a commission to help the government reach a settlement with Goldman Sachs.

The allegation, according to Kuang assemblyman Sallehudin Amiruddin, went viral on social media last week.

Wan Saiful said that as a member of Bersatu's political bureau and its management committee, he knew that all these allegations are false.

"I vehemently deny this slander. No agents have been appointed. No commissions have been received. This is not our culture in Bersatu," he said.

Stressing that Bersatu was set up to fight for integrity and transparent governance, Wan Saiful said the commitment of the party and the government is to ensure that the 1MDB scandal could be resolved fast.

"All those who are guilty [in the 1MDB scandal] will receive justice and the stolen state funds returned for the benefits of the people," he said.

In July last year, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said Goldman Sachs would pay US$2.5 billion (RM10.26 billion) in cash and guarantee the return of at least US$1.4 billion, which had been seized by the US government as part of the misappropriated 1MDB funds.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/slander-aimed-tarnishing-good-image-muhyiddin-says-wan-saiful