WSJ doesn’t have an ‘agenda’, journalist tells 1MDB
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is independent and has no “agenda” in its reporting, a journalist with the US newspaper told 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) today.
Tom Wright, who wrote an article published in WSJ today titled “1MDB and the Money Network of Malaysian Politics” was responding to the sovereign investment firm which said the American publication was becoming a “noticeboard for conspiracy theories and smears propagated by the Malaysian opposition”.
“We believe there are still many unanswered questions about 1MDB. Our reporting is independent and ― needless to say ― without any agenda,” Wright posted in his Q&A session on 1MDB today in response to a question by Malay Mail Online.
In a statement earlier today, 1MDB also accused the WSJ of having a campaign to “undermine” the state-owned firm and urged the US media organisation to “focus on real news instead”.
The WSJ today published a report titled “1MDB and the Money Network of Malaysian Politics”, in which it revisited allegations that at least US$700 million (RM3 billion) was missing from 1MDB, juxtaposed against reports that a comparable sum had been deposited in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s accounts.
The WSJ also published a report on July 2 this year saying that RM2.6 billion had been deposited in Najib’s accounts ahead of Election 2013, although the amount has since been categorised by anti-graft authorities as a political donation from unnamed donors in the Middle East.
Facebook user Lim Sian See pointed out in Wright’s Q&A that whistleblower site Sarawak Report, run by Clare Rewcastle-Brown, had published its own report on the same issue within minutes after the publication of the WSJ article.
“Are you in communications with Clare Brown as it seems your articles are coordinated with Sarawak Report?” Lim posted.
“Our reporting is independent and based on the facts that we have gathered. We take our reporting seriously. As you can see, there’s still lots more to be known on this story,” Wright replied.
Wright also reiterated the WSJ’s independence when asked by Facebook user Kazi Mahmood if the US paper was working with anti-Najib players in a bid to overthrow the prime minister.
“No we are not. Please see other replies on this thread. The Wall Street Journal is an independent news organisation that takes the time to deeply report complex issues that matter to people,” the journalist said.
