GOVERNMENT propaganda unit adviser Faisal Ismail Aziz has defended unit chief Mohd Puad Zarkashi for criticising former central banker Nor Mohamed Yakcop’s testimony at the Bank Negara forex losses Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI).

Faisal, who used to run Umno’s online campaigns, said the director-general of the Special Affairs Department (Jasa) was only asking questions, which did not harm to the witness.

“Since when can a ‘question’ from the public can threaten or injure a witness?”

“Actually it is Nor Mohamed’s attitude that would put him in danger. Moreover, when there are more witnesses including the former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim that had given statements,” Faisal said in a statement today.

Faisal, also the Jasa strategic communications director, referred to former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram’s statement that questioned the legality of Puad’s comments accusing Nor Mohamed of trying to protect Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Faisal said Gopal’s statement was “very strange and funny”.

“How is it that Puad’s statement can ‘threaten, offend and injure’ the witness? But at least Sri Ram knows that Puad’s comments is not an ‘insult’ under Section 14 of the Commission’s investigation Act of 1950,” said Faisal.

Faisal was also taking a dig at Dr Mahathir’s lawyer, Mohamed Haniff Kathri Abdulla who had said that Puad’s statement slandered and insulted the court.

Puad in a statement on Wednesday said it appeared from his testimony that Nor Mohamed was wiling to be the scapegoat in an old scandal.

“He (Nor Mohamed) took responsibility for the huge losses, but denied that all decisions regarding the central bank’s forex trading in the 1990s were made solely by him.

“This means that there were others involved. Who is the (other) person? Did he mean BNM’s (then) governor?,” said Puad.

Puad also questioned whether Nor Mohamed is trying to avoid implicating Dr Mahathir.

Faisal said there were several witnesses’ statements to the RCI that supported Puad’s theories.

“Isn’t all these statements by the witness against Nor Mohamed,” asked Faisal.

The RCI has so far called 21 witnesses to the stand since it commenced hearing on August 21.

The RCI will convene again from September 18-20 before making the final report for the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong by October 13. – September 9, 2017.