Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom says he will see National Oversight & Whistleblowers (NOW) director Akmal Nasir in court.

“We will meet in court,” Jamil said, when told by reporters that Akmal is unapologetic with his allegations of abuse of funds meant for orphans.

He was met at the Putrajaya police district headquarters today, after lodging a police report against Akmal.

Asked about Akmal’s own police report against him and the government-linked charity Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam Malaysia (Yapeim) at the Dang Wangi police district headquarters earlier today, Jamil reiterated that he is prepared to be investigated.

“I am prepared and open - as per my earlier statement - to be investigated of any wrongdoing, if any,” he said.

Jamil’s lawyer Adnan Seman @ Abdullah told reporters that he would send a letter of demand to Akmal tomorrow.

If an apology and retraction is still not forthcoming, a suit will be lodged in court against Akmal on late Thursday.

'Shopping and golfing'

Previously, Akmal had claimed that Jamil had abused Yapeim funds meant for orphans to go shopping and golfing in the US with his wife, citing invoices billed to a Yapeim subsidiary.

The total bill for the four-day trip amounted to RM410,978.56 according to Akmal, but he later revised the estimate to RM590,000 for a delegation of 100 people.

Jamil had countered Akmal saying that the latter’s claims amounted to ‘malicious slander and misleading’, and had threatened Akmal with a lawsuit.

He said he had indeed gone to the US in May last year, but only upon invitation by various agencies within his purview including Yapeim.

The visit was also organised by the Malaysian embassy in the US, Education Malaysia Chicago, and the visit had also included several programmes by Yapeim for Malaysian students.

Akmal appeared unperturbed by Jamil’s threats, and went to lodge a police report in Dang Wangi calling for an investigation on Yapeim earlier today.

Jamil arrived at the Putrajaya police district headquarters today later at about 2.30pm and spent around two hours there before emerging to speak to reporters.

He declined to reply to questions from the press such as why Yapeim funds had been used, except to reply that he would answer these in court.

To another question whether he still intends to sue media publications that had published Akmal’s claims such as The Malaysian Insider, Jamil said he would leave the decision to his lawyer.

Jamil in his denial on Nov 13 had demanded a retraction an apology from The Malaysian Insider .