NO OSI FUNDS DURING MARINA PRESIDENCY

KUALA LUMPUR : The Malaysian AIDS Council did not receive funds from George Soros-linked Open Society Institute (OSI) during Datuk Paduka Marina Mahathir's presidency, she told The Malaysian Insider today.

The social activist also denied that the Global Fund (GFATM) funded the organisations activities when she was president between 1994 and 2005, following The Malaysian Insider's report that Soros had funded MAC.

"Pls clarify that I was President of MAC fm 1994-2005. During my time we nvr rcvd OSI nor Global Fund money," Marina (picture) said in a Twitter posting to The Malaysian Insider.

This news portal reported today that currency speculator Soros not only funded pro-democracy groups in Malaysia, but has also funded MAC activities.

Marina is the daughter of Soros' chief critic, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The US citizen has been in the limelight lately after government-friendly mainstream newspapers and a television station said his OSI had funded pro-democracy groups out to destabilise the Barisan Nasional (BN) government under Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The Malaysian media did not offer proof of any destabilisation efforts.

Dr Mahathir once called the American tycoon a "moron" when his currency speculation was said to have brought down the Malaysian ringgit during the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997/98.

MAC confirmed with The Malaysian Insider that it received funds from OSI and the Global Fund (GFATM), which is involved in awareness programmes to fight AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), tuberculosis (TB) and malaria.

"Yes, MAC also receives foreign funds and they are used for awareness programmes such as campaigns to raise awareness about AIDS and HIV issues and other programmes," a MAC spokesman told The Malaysian Insider.

The organisation said just last year it received funds amounting to US$75,000 (RM230,000) for their programmes and campaign to raise awareness about AIDS and HIV, said the non-governmental organisation's (NGO) spokesman who declined to be named.

Last week, disputes over Malaysian NGOs receiving foreign funding became a hot issue that was played up by the mainstream media controlled by Umno and the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

It was alleged that such foreign funding is intended to bring down the Malaysian government and leaders' image.

The NGOs that have been targeted include Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), journalist training group Seacem and the MalaysiaKini news portal that have been accused as attempting to destabilise the government or the country.