Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has instructed his lawyers to seek advice from legal experts, locally or abroad, on possible legal measures to be taken against US financial daily The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

Najib's lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun said he met the prime minister yesterday, in light of the Monday’s statement from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission that the RM2.6 million in Najib’s personal bank accounts was not from 1MDB as alleged by WSJ.

 

“We will seek advice locally, from the Queen's Counsel (from Commonwealth) and also United States lawyers, even their former attorney general,” he said.

 

“I am asked to seek the advice as soon as possible and get back to him,” he said.

 

Hafarizam ( photo ) said following that Najib and the lawyers will decide on their legal recourse, which may not be limited only to filing suits but other measures.

 

“We also have not discussed whether to file the action here or in the United States. But there is basis for us to file it in local courts.

 

“(Former Singapore prime minister) Lee Kuan Yew sued WSJ in Singapore and similarly Mokhzani Mahathir also filed his suit here against WSJ,” he pointed out, adding they are considering all options.

 

When journalists asked Hafarizam if he had been away for the past couple of weeks seeking advice, he initially said he was here locally, but admitted that he went abroad and now was seeking further advice.

 

Yesterday, another lawyer from Hafarizam's firm Wan Azmir Wan Majid said the situation was 'status quo' following WSJ's reply after 14 days.

On July 23, WSJ owner Dow Jones replied to Najib’s law firm that there was no need for the WSJ to explain its stance on reports alleging that RM2.6 billion of 1MDB-linked funds had been deposited into the prime minister’s personal bank accounts.

"We believe your request is unnecessary as 'The News Article' and 'The Opinion' speak for themselves," Dow Jones' counsel and chief compliance officer Jason P Conti wrote in a letter to the prime minister's lawyers.

Najib's lawyers in their letter demanded that the publication clarifies its stance on a July 2 news report titled "Malaysia leader's accounts probed" and an opinion piece on July 6 titled "Scandal in Malaysia".

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