Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak today accused international media such as the New York Times (NYT) and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) of conspiring to deny Rosmah Mansor an international award.

But he added that Malaysia was not even desperate for the 'Lead by Example' award from the Antiquities Coalition, which the prime minister's wife was supposed to receive today for the accomplishments of her brainchild, the children enrichment programme Permata.

Permata was removed from the list of honorees, however, after the Antiquities Coalition was quizzed by the media about Permata's sources of funding, a spokesperson from the organisation said on Monday.

"These are clearly efforts leveled against Rosmah, to tarnish our good name. In truth it was they who had offered her the award in her capacity as Permata's founder for the organisation's work in improving early education,” Salleh told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

"We are not that desperate for the award, but it was offered by them. But these two groups (WSJ and NYT) tried hard to find a way to prevent it from happening.

"Apparently they say that Permata's funding are from questionable sources even though the body is actually government-funded.”

The award was deferred to next year, but the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Tuesday that Rosmah and Permata had declined it.

It said Rosmah made the decision to avoid further distraction from the important work for the children of Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Salleh today said certain quarters were trying to use Permata to destroy the country's image.

“It is proven that it (Permata) is an organisation that plays a role in early education in Malaysia, and is recognised the world over... (it) is used as a tool to tarnish the country's good name as well as Rosmah's good name.

“They have a certain agenda to destabilise us, they want to determine who should be the country's leader, and to me that shouldn't happen,” said Salleh.