Najib says threat to sue Harakah to defend family 
MalaysiaKini.com
Feb 27, 2015  

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today said his threat to sue Harakah, stating that it was to defend his family.

The PAS organ had questioned whether Najib's stepson Riza Aziz's wealth had benefitted from state-owned 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

"What was reported in Harakah was defamatory and completely untrue.

They did not show evidence, so it is my right to defend myself and my family," Najib was quoted as saying by The Star Online.

Najib - who is on a work visit to Sarawak - earlier officiated the construction of the Sri Aman Minor Specialist Hospital.

His lawyers yesterday handed a letter of demand to Harakah over a Feb 12 article titled, 'Dana 1MDB biayai syarikat filem Riza Aziz?' (1MDB funds used for Riza Aziz's film company?).

The letter named Harakah managing director Rosli Yaakub - who authored the article - and Harakah chief editor Taufik Yahya.

Najib is demanding that Harakah retract the article within 48 hours, cease repeating defamatory words in the article, publish an apology according to terms determined by him and give an undertaking not to repeat the defamatory words.

Suit in his personal capacity   
 
The suit has been initiated in Najib's personal capacity, and he is seeking an unspecified amount of damages as well.

Najib - who is also the finance minister - chairs the 1MDB advisory board, whereas Riza is the son of the PM's wife Rosmah Mansor from her first marriage.
 
Riza has attracted much attention over his meteoric rise in Hollywood, helping to fund films such as ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ and ‘Dumb and Dumber’.
 
His 2012 purchase of a RM110 million penthouse in New York also raised eyebrows over the source of his wealth.
 
Riza (centre in photo) is seen to be close with individuals who were formerly or presently connected to 1MDB - including billionaire Jho Low and Aabar Investment chief executive Ahmad Badawy al-Husseiny.
 
Low has denied playing an active role in 1MDB, stating that he was merely its adviser when it still went by the name of Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) in 2009.
 
Aabar Investment is noted to have strong business ties with 1MDB.
 
Riza - who bankrolled Academy Awards-nominated ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ through his company Red Granite Pictures - had earlier claimed that it was funded by Low, and the latter's name had appeared in the film credits.
 
However, according to the New York Times, this explanation had been changed later and Aabar Investment's Ahmad was credited for the financing. 

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