PM to fund public allegations baseless: Wisma Putra

PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (center) and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah greet the attendees who welcomed his return upon arrival at the Bunga Raya Complex, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang today. Najib to return home after a four-day official visit to Kazakhstan. - BERNAMA Photo

The visit by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, to Kazakhstan is to meet his acceptance of an invitation that has been made ​​President Nursultan Nazarbayev, according to the Foreign Ministry today.

Wisma Putra said in a statement to BERNAMA, denied the report in Malaysiakini on June 7 titled "PM's use of public funds for wedding trip morally wrong" (The use of public funds by the PM to manage the course of marriage is morally wrong).

 
It asserts a claim that the visit was to manage the Prime Minister's daughter marriage in no way justified.

The statement explained that Najib's visit to Kazakhstan on 5 and June 6 is also the first official visit to the country's prime minister and as a reward Nazarbayev visit to Malaysia in June 2006.

During the visit, he visited Nazarbayev and held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Karim Massimov.

"The trip was not only improve bilateral relations between both countries, but also generate business opportunities for Malaysian business community," the statement said.

According to Wisma Putra, Kazakhstan is Malaysia's largest trading partner among the countries of Central Asia.

 
He also explained that the Prime Minister's visit coincided with the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIFE) to-7 from 7 to 9 June in Astana and Najib represents Malaysia as the patron of the WIFE.

Results of Kazakhstan to host the seventh WIFE on that date reached more than a year ago, when Malaysia hosted the sixth series of the WIFE in May, 2010.

"Overall, the visit resulted in great progress in bilateral relations between Malaysia and Kazakhstan are mutually beneficial.

"It can also strengthen the close ties between the two countries and foster cooperation and dialogue between developing countries, especially member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC)," the statement said. - BERNAMA