Journalists today were duped into thinking that
PAS information chief Mahfuz Omar was holding a press conference at the
PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur with fugitive former police commando
Sirul Azhar Umar's mother.
It turned out that the WhatsApp message sent to reporters was actually a fake one. The origins of the message cannot be determined but it was circulated on a PAS media WhatsApp group.
A
PAS headquarters staff said Mahfuz was in Alor Setar this morning and
the latter had not called for any press conference much less for one
with Sirul’s mum.
"I just called him. He is in Alor Setar and confirmed he never called for a press conference.
"He said an invitation would have been sent out earlier if he wanted to hold a press conference," said the staff who identified himself as Saripuddin Mohd Yatim.
Saripuddin's disclosure was met with groans and annoyed exclamations from reporters present who were blithely waiting for the press conference to start.
Monday announcement
In a statement later, Mahfuz said he will be leaving for Australia on Sunday (March 1) at 11pm.
"The media are invited to meet us at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) departure hall at Level 5 at 9pm on Sunday," he said in a statement.
The Pokok Sena MP had on Monday made attempts to initiate a conference call with Sirul. Numerous failed attempts later, Mahfuz cancelled the event and the ensuring press conference.
Sirul was finally reached only two hours later.
Mahfuz had then also announced a press conference would be held - most probably on Friday (today) - to announce the date he and Sirul's mother, Piah Samad (above), would leave for Australia.
"We will be there for a week to visit Sirul. A press conference will be held, most probably on Friday, to announce the date we are leaving," Mahfuz had said then.
It turned out that the WhatsApp message sent to reporters was actually a fake one. The origins of the message cannot be determined but it was circulated on a PAS media WhatsApp group.
A
PAS headquarters staff said Mahfuz was in Alor Setar this morning and
the latter had not called for any press conference much less for one
with Sirul’s mum."I just called him. He is in Alor Setar and confirmed he never called for a press conference.
"He said an invitation would have been sent out earlier if he wanted to hold a press conference," said the staff who identified himself as Saripuddin Mohd Yatim.
Saripuddin's disclosure was met with groans and annoyed exclamations from reporters present who were blithely waiting for the press conference to start.
Monday announcement
In a statement later, Mahfuz said he will be leaving for Australia on Sunday (March 1) at 11pm.
"The media are invited to meet us at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) departure hall at Level 5 at 9pm on Sunday," he said in a statement.
The Pokok Sena MP had on Monday made attempts to initiate a conference call with Sirul. Numerous failed attempts later, Mahfuz cancelled the event and the ensuring press conference.Sirul was finally reached only two hours later.
Mahfuz had then also announced a press conference would be held - most probably on Friday (today) - to announce the date he and Sirul's mother, Piah Samad (above), would leave for Australia.
"We will be there for a week to visit Sirul. A press conference will be held, most probably on Friday, to announce the date we are leaving," Mahfuz had said then.
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