Apologise or get sued, Jamil Khir tells NOW

PUTRAJAYA: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom is prepared to go to court to clear himself of allegations that he had abused funds meant for orphans and the poor.

Jamil said he had instructed his lawyer to initiate legal action against PKR-linked National Oversight and Whistleblower (NOW).

“The allegation is slanderous and a deliberate attempt to damage my integrity as a minister,” he said after lodging a report at the police district headquarters here yesterday.

Jamil’s lawyer Adnan Seman, who was also present, said he would issue a letter of demand against NOW director Akmal Nasir today if he failed to retract and apologise for his allegations.

“If he fails to do so, we will file a legal suit against him, latest by Thursday,” he said.

On Friday, NOW had claimed that Jamil had used the funds of charity organisation Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM) to go shopping and play golf in the United States last year.

Jamil Khir had since denied the allegation, stressing that it was not a recreational trip.

He had explained that the trip was organised by YaPEIM with the help of the Malaysian embassy in the US and Education Malaysia in Chicago in conjunction with the launch of the Midwest Games in the US.

On why YaPEIM funds were used for this trip and whether he would explain this matter to the contributors, Jamil Khir said: “We will explain all about this in court.”

Earlier, Akmal had lodged a police report against YaPEIM on the alleged misuse of the funds.