After international broadcasters CNBC and BBC, US magazine
 
 The Atlantic
 
 also launched an&nbsp; internal investigation into its connections with a public relations company which was hired by the Malaysian government to glam up the image of BN politicians overseas.


 According to prominent Washington-based news portal
 <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61866.html" target="_blank">
 
 
 Politico
 
 
 </a>
 , a spokesperson of
 
 The Atlantic
 
 confirmed that the magazine is probing its cooperation with London-based FBC Media Ltd, which has provided editorial content on foreign subjects while doing public relations work for some of the same governments it was reporting on.


 &ldquo;In addition to the internal review, the magazine also said Justin Smith, president of Atlantic Media Co, has resigned from the board of FBC, the firm at the centre of a controversy over whether it improperly mixed its journalism and PR businesses. It was Smith who connected FBC Media with
 
 The Atlantic
 
 ,&rdquo; read the report.


 <img align="left" alt="Alan Friedman FBC" height="239" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/394/e83a7a3c2204a1933573cb808d59a275.jpg" width="265"/>
 It revealed that FBC&rsquo;s chairman, Alan Friedman (
 
 left
 
 ), had approached the century-old magazine about hosting an event featuring his client, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak. The event, held in March, was moderated by
 
 The Atlantic
 
 national correspondent James Fallows.


 Concerns were also raised whether Friedman&rsquo;s reports from the World Economic Forum in Davos in January for
 
 The Atlantic
 
 were aimed to promote his clients.


 Smith, who has sat on FBC&rsquo;s board since 2007, told
 
 Politico
 
 on Sunday that he informed Friedman two weeks ago of his desire to step down.


 &ldquo;The truth is that Alan Friedman has been a friend of mine for nearly 20 years,&rdquo; Smith said.


 &ldquo;In light of this friendship and my past association with the company, I am very disturbed to learn of the serious allegations being raised about FBC and Alan&rsquo;s conduct. What I would particularly regret, should these accusations directed at FBC be proven true, is my role in having introduced Alan to
 
 The Atlantic
 
 &rsquo;s editors and event planners.


 
 Full review ordered
 


 &ldquo;I have directed a full review of
 
 The Atlantic
 
 &rsquo;s dealings with him, and the responsibility at
 
 The Atlantic
 
 for any problems it might uncover will be mine. It is my job to safeguard at all costs
 
 The Atlantic
 
 &rsquo;s reputation for editorial integrity,&rdquo; Smith was quoted as saying.


 <img align="right" alt="azlan" height="200" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/331/1c7e9a99f8bddeaf1f09995b42463cbc.gif" width="300"/>
 The Najib-FBC scandal was first disclosed by
 
 Sarawak Report
 
 , a portal founded by journalist Clare Rewcastle-Brown, who is the sister-in-law of former British prime minister Gordon Brown.


 It claimed that FBC was paid millions of ringgit by BN politicians, including Najib and long-serving Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, to glam up their image overseas.


 This was verified by the entries in the government&rsquo;s Supplementary Budget 2010 which showed that FBC was allocated RM28.35 million for work on a &lsquo;Global Strategic Communications Campaign&rsquo; ordered in 2009. The company had received RM29.34 million the previous year.


 British-based daily
 
 The Independent
 
 also reported that documents filed with the US House of Representatives in 2008 show that FBC contracted the Washington-based American lobbying company Apco Worldwide.


 Following the disclosure,
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/171939" target="_blank">
 
 CNBC
 
 </a>
 and
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/173308" target="_blank">
 
 BBC
 
 </a>
 had pulled all FBC-produced content and launched their own internal investigations last month.


 
 Other stories:
 


 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/173983" target="_blank">
 Perak mufti: Malays split because gov't is corrupt
 </a>


 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/173991" target="_blank">
 'Khir Toyo's claims hurtful to cabinet ministers'
 </a>


 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/173962" target="_blank">
 Utusan: Promise of Umno CM will win Penang for BN
 </a>


 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/173961" target="_blank">
 PKR: Ministry funding Nong Chik's Lembah Pantai goal?
 </a>


 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/173958" target="_blank">
 WWF and Taib's empire: Sleeping with the enemy?
 </a>

The Atlantic launches an internal investigation into its connection with  a public relations firm hired by the Malaysian government.


Najib-FBC scandal hits US magazine

~RM12

Sign up for Kini Morning Brief

ABOUT

DIGITAL NETWORK

TERMS OF USE

GENERAL LINE

SUBSCRIPTION / TECH SUPPORT

EDITORIAL

LOCATION

RSS FEEDS