(July 31): Perception has become more important than the truth on social media, as one is seen as guilty before proven innocent, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today of the attacks against him over the controversial 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

He said people now believe that anything about 1MDB was bad because of the negative perception they have of the state investment vehicle that has stemmed from the slander on social media.

"A good thing now has become something wrong because of the perception due to slander being put in the minds of the people. Why do we look at 1MDB as it is bad? But that is the perception," he said in Putrajaya.

"When there is attack on 1MDB, it as if 1MDB had not contributed at all. In fact, it has contributed a lot."

Najib said that 1MDB, which sits on RM42 billion of debts and is currently being investigated by a special task force, had sponsored the Haj programme, contributed in rebuilding homes and has helped even poor fishermen.

He said an example was of the controversy surrounding Tabung Haji's purchase of 1MDB land, which had created a perception as if the money deposited into the fund would be channelled to 1MDB.

"When Tabung Haji wanted to buy the Tun Razak Exchange land belonging to 1MDB, it created such a havoc. It was like the sky was falling down.

"It was as if Tabung Haji's money was used to save 1MDB."

He said the matter had become something that was talked about a lot and it had spread like wildfire because "the world's perception is formed through the human's fingers".

"But the reality is the opposite. The truth is, when Tabung Haji makes an investment, the purchase of the land at a high price had a good potential as they are building an MRT line underneath it. It will become a financial hub.

"If Tabung Haji had a building there, just imagine how much of profit it would have made," Najib said.

This was the first time that Najib has touched on the 1MDB issue since the Cabinet reshuffle on July 28.

The Cabinet reshuffle has been seen as a tactic to dent the investigations by Parliament's Public Accounts Committee into 1MDB when Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed who had previously chaired the bipartisan panel, was appointed deputy home minister.

The vacancy of the PAC chairman has led to the proceedings to be postponed until someone else is appointed in the next Dewan Rakyat sitting in October. – The Malaysian Insider