DAP lawmaker Charles Santiago has criticised MIC treasurer-general S Vell Paari over his remarks regarding the Wall Street Journal.

“It's understandable that Vell Paari wants a say in the country's biggest financial scandal.

“I mean, MIC is desperate to stay relevant but to spew nonsense is certainly not the way to do so,” said the Klang MP in a media statement today.

Santiago also claimed that Vell Paari is too insignificant for the WSJ to sue.

“So if he wants to curry favour with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak or grab headlines, this strategy is a no go,” he said.

Secondly, Santiago said reporting about Najib’s wife Rosmah Mansor’s alleged shopping spree is not about toppling the government.

“But Najib's inability to give plausible answers about 1MDB and the lack of transparency have caused the ringgit to tumble and expedited a crumbling economy.

“And lastly investigative journalism isn't a terrorist attack on the country. Such simplistic conclusion is laughable even if it's done to score instant brownie points,” he added.

The DAP MP said if Vell Paari wanted to counter the article, he should do so with facts and figures.

“A verbal rant simply won't do.

“It's good if others like Vell Paari can stop to think about people's anger, brought about by stagnant salaries, rising cost of living, medicine and their struggles to pay college fees, before they jump on a bandwagon to join in the rhetoric for Najib and his wife,” he added.

On Monday, WSJ published a report claiming that Rosmah spent US$6 million on clothes, shoes and jewellery over seven years, undermines national sovereignty.