KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Senator Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz today said he was not involved in any alleged fraud linked to a product launch event last year, saying he attended the ceremony in good faith after being invited.
Responding to a video on social media that suggested his involvement, the minister also said he would seek to trigger a police investigation into the matter upon his return to Malaysia.
Tengku Zafrul is accompanying Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on an official visit to Australia at the moment.
“There is a video that has been circulated on social media implying something untoward about my attendance at a product launch in 2023.
“I accepted the invitation in good faith, and our team had no prior knowledge of the alleged or implied impropriety that was raised in the video.
“As such, my team has begun investigations on this matter, and I will lodge a police report as soon as I’m back in Malaysia so official investigations can begin,” he was quoted as saying by the Malaysiakini news portal.
He also urged individuals with evidence of any wrongdoing to report it to the relevant authorities.
According to the news portal, a video circulating online showed a man claimed he was paid RM800 to act as a foreign chief executive officer of a company in a fraudulent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and alleged that the minister was involved.
The person also claimed employment with a prominent advertising firm and presented a photograph featuring himself alongside former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is currently jailed.
The video was directed at Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, Anwar’s senior political secretary, with the man also claiming he tried contacting Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli regarding the matter.
