PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Azam Baki has instructed his lawyers to issue a letter of demand to Bloomberg over what he described as a “misleading” and “defamatory” report concerning his past share transactions in Velocity Capital Partner Bhd.
Azam said the legal notice would be sent either to Bloomberg’s Malaysia office or its US headquarters, stressing that he was prepared to take the matter to court.
“Tomorrow my lawyer will send it to Bloomberg, either in Malaysia or in the United States,” he said during a special media session on Wednesday (Feb 11).
Azam accused the international news outlet of publishing a report without properly verifying the facts, particularly regarding the timeline of his share ownership and asset declarations.
“It’s a very misleading statement by Bloomberg, without checking the real facts," he said.
He also took issue with claims that his office had failed to respond to Bloomberg’s queries prior to publication.
He further alleged that the outlet had misled the public by suggesting there was no response from him.
Azam maintained that the report had damaged both his personal reputation and that of the commission he heads.
“That one really, for me, tarnished my reputation, personally, and my organisation,” he said.
He stressed that the issue was not criminal in nature but rather concerned interpretations of administrative circulars on asset declarations.
Azam said he was seeking damages rather than pursuing criminal action, explaining that he did not want to burden the police with a cross-border investigation.
“I’m going to ask for damages,” he said.
He also warned that he would seek an injunction if the allegations continued to be repeated.
“If anybody starts talking again about it, I will apply to court for an injunction,” he said.
Azam reiterated that he had complied with all asset declaration requirements under government procedures and insisted the controversy stemmed from speculation and misinterpretation rather than any breach of rules.
"I have complied with the relevant declaration requirements. But I do not have to make those declarations public," he said.
