Hanipa Maidin (PAS-Sepang) has urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to sue the New York Times and French newspaper Libération , which have allegedly tarnished his good name.

He said the people will even pay for Najib’s legal fees if the premier can't afford to sue them.

"If the PM really wants to defend his good name and (that of) his family’s, then sue them.

"We will set up a fund. We will call it the Pekan fund," the PAS representative sarcastically told the Dewan Rakyat during the debate on the motion of thanks for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's speech today.

He said this when commenting on Najib's decision to sue PAS mouthpiece Harakah, over a report linking 1MDB to his stepson.

Najib has been under fire after the New York Times article published an explanation from the Prime Minister's Office which said Najib's and Rosmah Mansor's lavish lifestyle was due to his ‘inheritance’.

Libération , meanwhile, had published a report linking Najib to the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Hanipa's comments set off Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (BN-Baling) (right) , who said the PM does not need a fund to pay for his legal fees.

"Pekan's (Najib's) 'keturunan' (family) is rich. He doesn't need to beg for alms from all of you.  

"I myself can pay for Pekan's lawyer fees; we don't need a fund," he said.

"PAS should set up a fund to help flood victims, but you can't even do that, yet you want to set up a legal fund," Abdul Azeez said.

He also took issue with Hanipa's vitriol against Sodomy II prosecutor Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Hanipa had questioned why Shafee had to go on a roadshow to justify his victory.

To this, Azeez said Hanipa should file a lawsuit against Shafee if he feels what Shafee did was wrong.