KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 — Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) has withdrawn its letter of demand (LOD) issued to The Edge regarding media reports on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) involving the agency’s (HRD) alleged abuse as found in the latest Auditor-General’s Report.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said he instructed HRD to retract the LOD after receiving information about it.
"I do not agree at all with the action of suing the media because I firmly believe in the freedom of the press in this country.
"This is my principle even before I came back into the government again," he said during a press conference at the Dewan Rakyat today.
The Edge published an article titled "HRD Corp threatens to sue The Edge over reporting of PAC, AG reports” on July 16, 2024.
Based on the media report, a letter of demand was issued by HRM Corp solicitors Messrs. Amrit & Company. In the letter, HRD Corp demanded The Edge, among other things, remove and delete several articles published by The Edgee on their website regarding the PAC report and Auditor-General’s Report.
HRD Corp also demanded an apology to be published and sought damages.
Meanwhile, in a separate press conference earlier, the PAC also instructed HRD Corp to withdraw the LOD issued to The Edge or any media company regarding the committee's report and Auditor-General's Report.
Its chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the committee condemned HRD Corp's actions and considered it an attempt to put pressure on the media not to publish PAC's report on the company including that it was seen as an effort to weaken or undermine PAC's credibility.
"HRD Corp’s top management should be reminded that the PAC was established in 1959 and all (PAC) reports have never been disputed because they are based on the statements of witnesses called during the PAC proceedings,” she said.
— Bernama
