So Obama’s golfing buddy Najib not ‘well-known’ in US

Suing WSJ in US not likely, as Najib ‘not well-known there’

 SRMan: “Najib is not well-known in the US”, appears to be a humble statement from PM Najib Razak’s side.

But didn’t Najib mention proudly last month that he was the only PM in the world to have played golf with the US President Obama and that at a time when large parts of our country were submerged in waters?

That alone would have made Najib a well-known figure not only in the US but the world over.

And to further claim that monetary damages was a factor on whether to sue is nonsensical. As the head of a country, vindication should be the most important thing for him, for the image of our nation and for Malay dignity.

Monetary damages? How much more money does he still want?

Speak For All: I didn’t know you must be famous or well-known to sue someone, especially if that person or party is wrong.

Aries46: If this is the best Najib’s lawyers can give us after months of stalling, it is rather troubling.

Their lame excuses such as Najib is unknown in US and the limitation of the Speech (Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage) Act merely infers that his monetary gains precedes the restoration of his battered reputation and damage to the nation.

What is more compelling is their client’s dismal failure to disprove any of The Wall Street Journal exposes regarding the 1MDB shenanigans and the RM2.6 billion channelled into his personal account which he repeatedly denied until events forced him to concede, and which he then claimed was a ‘donation’ to Umno though no one in Umno knew about it until the WSJ exposure.

Other deterrents not in his favour includes his clampdown on internal probes and investigating agents and agencies, as well as the alleged draft charge sheet exposed by Sarawak Report.

A bigger mystery is the whereabouts of the balance of the RM2.6 billion which may be exposed in the course of the trial.

Versey: Enough of lame excuses. Have you not learned enough from the ever-changing excuses that had been given for Najib not attending the Nothing2Hide forum? That had aroused even more suspicion.

If this is a genuine reason, you would not need to wait for months to voice out, would you?

Furthermore, the main issue here of suing WSJ is not about getting monetary compensation, but the dignity of not just the office of the PM of Malaysia, but also of all Malaysians.

Tan Kim Keong: This flimsy rationale is definitely a strategy to avoid the risk of exposing more malefactions to the world at large. Of course, we buy this erudite rationale.

Leongan: The quantum of monetary damages is more important to Najib than clearing his name?

Before, you are worried about the US Speech Act. But now the excuse is the client is not well-known in US.

The most important goal is clearing the name of not only of your client, but the whole nation.

Quigonbond: Why are the damages so important to the PM? Is he going to share it with us?

The way I see it, Malaysia’s reputation has taken a severe beating, costing the economy billions of ringgit, such that the damage to the PM’s reputation pales in comparison to the damage done to the economy.

Therefore, the PM should sue even if there are no damages to be won, because he should be doing so on behalf of Malaysians.

And honestly, I don’t want any money from WSJ. I just want the US court to clear the PM’s name. There is no point doing so in Malaysia because you will always stand accused of manipulating court decisions.

Winning in a US court is the only way Malaysia’s reputation can be restored.

Res Ipsa: Enough has been said and dramatised about this legal action against WSJ, be it locally or in the US. Najib seems so sure that he will get a favourable judgment in Malaysia even before the case is filed in court.

That explains his focus on enforcement of the decision in the US. If he really was that confident over the merits of his case, then he should file his case immediately in Malaysia bearing in mind that the Speech Act does not offer any form of assistance to Americans who would have been found liable anyway if the case was brought under the US laws on defamation.

So come on Najib, what are you waiting for?

Unless of course, you are afraid of the embarrassment and consequences of not being successful in getting a favourable judgement in the US where there are provisions under the Speech Act available to WSJ to have a go at you, for damages for attempting to deprive the right of free speech enshrined in the US constitution?

It’s my gut feeling that this is the main reason for your inaction. Prove me wrong.

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