PAS Youth today demanded that Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown apologise to Sultanah Nur Zahirah of Terengganu for linking the sultanah to the setting up the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA).
Its information chief Hishamuddin Abdul Karim said contents in Rewcastle-Brown’s book on this were just another malicious propaganda against the institution of the Malay rulers and that it appeared as though there was some connection between the editor and certain parties.
“We support the call by Dewan Pangkuan Diraja Terengganu secretary for Clare to apologise to the Sultanah of Terengganu and correct the facts in her book. We also urge the Home Ministry to stop circulation of the book until the corrections are made,” he said in a statement here today.
Yesterday, Dewan Pangkuan Diraja Terengganu secretary had said that there was no truth to the contents in the book “The Sarawak Report: The Inside Story of the 1MDB Expose” that was launched in Sept 8 which linked the sultanah to the issue
PAS are making a loud protest over the mention in the book The Sarawak Report that JL had boasted that socialising with the Terengganu Royal family had assisted in him netting the role of advisor to the Terengganu Investment Authority before it was turned into 1MDB.
They assert it is an insult to suggest that the Sultanah was on the board or involved in the setting up of the TIA (which the book does not).
However, PAS ought to be careful what they say, since the SISTER of the Sultan was a director on the Board of TIA. If the Sultanah claims that it is wrong to suggest she was one of the Terengganu Royals friendly with Jho Low, then the sister of the sulltan clearly was associated since she was also on the board of Loh and Loh Corporation after it was absorbed by UBG which was by then half owned by Jho Low.
Moreover, it was Dato Aziz Akhir, the Tengku Rahimah’s husband who was the other official advisor, together with Jho Low, to the board of TIA. He had been involved for some time in business with Jho Low.
There is no question that The Sultan of Terengganu himself held an important position as Chairman of the advisory board of TIA and he was publicised as being the first person to suggest the setting up of the fund to the Menteri Besar of the state.
The Sarawak Report made no suggestion of any impropriety on the part of any of the Terengganu royal family, either for socialising and doing business with Jho Low at that time or for being extremely involved in TIA, which they were.
PAS, on the other hand, has now issued various statements suggesting they believe there would have been some impropriety for the royal family to have been involved. They ought to think before they denounce.