(Nov 19): Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom today filed a defamation suit against the director of an anti-graft watchdog over allegations that he and his entourage had misused money from a charity foundation for a trip to the United States last year.

The minister in the Prime Minister's Department filed the suit against National Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW) director Akmal Nasir in the Kuala Lumpur High Court, three days after sending a letter of demand to the latter.

Jamil Khir told Bernama he filed the suit to seek justice.

Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah representing Jamil Khir, when met by reporters, told Bernama the defamation suit was filed to clear his client's name and to prevent a culture of impunity.

"All of the defendant's statements are not true. The plaintiff is not afraid over the allegations of defamation.

"The (defamation) suits are encouraged because such defamation has become a culture of impunity. We need to stop this culture as people tend to just say whatever they want without thinking and only meant to bring down others."

Jamil Khir filed the writ of summons through Messrs Adnan Sharida & Associates at the Civil High Court registry in Kuala Lumpur.

He had last week given Akmal 24 hours to apologise for alleging that the minister had used funds meant for orphans for his trip, with an entourage, to the United States in 2014.

Akmal ignored the demand and on Sunday, after lodging a police report against him at the Putrajaya district police headquarters, Jamil Khir said that a letter of demand will be sent to Akmal followed by the filing of a defamation suit if no apology was forthcoming.

"It's a very serious allegation and I see it as ruining my integrity and credibility as a minister," Jamil Khir told reporters after lodging the police report. – The Malaysian Insider