KUALA LUMPUR – Man on the Run director Cassius Michael Kim has denied claims made by Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s lawyer about problems during the filming of the documentary, which the jailed former prime minister is trying to have removed from Netflix.
Kim dismissed lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s claims of disagreements among crew members about the documentary film’s direction and that a crew member was fired because of Kim’s alleged “dishonesty”.
“No. Contrary to his assertions, there have never been two directors, nor any other writer than myself,” the film’s writer and director told Scoop in response to Shafee, who told Scoop that a crew member on Kim’s set had been fired because the director had been dishonest.
Kim, who has more than 15 years of experience in journalism, said the lawyer’s claims showed his ignorance.
“The attorney reveals his ignorance with his baseless claims. Since the very beginning of this project, I have been the sole director and writer, and I stand by my process and my journalistic ethics.
“(But) more often than not, accusations of conspiracy often arise when the guilty are left with no recourse, with no more places to hide or deflect,” Kim said.
Shafee on Monday announced Najib’s move to have the documentary taken down from Netflix or stopped from being streamed in Malaysia by writing a letter to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
As of Wednesday, Scoop’s check with Shafee found that he had not yet written the letter. Further checks yesterday with the lawyer received no response.
The documentary, which focuses on Penang-born fugitive businessmen and alleged 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) mastermind Low Taek Jho, was first screened in cinemas nationwide in October last year and began streaming on Netflix on January 5.
Shafee has called it an extreme case of contempt of court and sub judice as Najib’s 1MDB trial is still ongoing. He also claimed that Najib had been misled into granting an interview for the documentary.
Kim has dismissed claims of misleading Najib, who, as a former finance minister at the time, oversaw 1MDB, which was a state investment firm.
The director said the production team had never misrepresented its intentions and had been clear about the documentary’s objectives when it approached Najib for the interview.
Kim added that Najib was even accompanied by his lawyer, Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee, and aide Ahmad Lutfi Azhar during the interview.
In additional comments to Scoop, Kim said it was plain to see why Shafee was eager to have Man on the Run removed.
“Many of Najib’s words in the film could be seen as a virtual admission of his culpability in the 1MDB scandal. I can see why his attorney is so determined to censor our film and cast aspersions on our journalistic process.
“With all the noise and histrionics emanating from Najib’s camp, I truly fear that the Malaysian people will soon lose access to Man on the Run.
“(Therefore), I encourage everyone to watch the film before the government makes that choice for them,” Kim said.
Najib, who was interviewed for the documentary on April 3, 2022, appears in snippets after the first hour of the two-hour film.
At the beginning of the interview, Najib reminds the team questioning him that his trial is ongoing in court, and he will stop the interview at any point if it broaches matters that are sub judice.
In July 2020, Najib was found guilty of corruption in a related case involving SRC International Sdn Bhd. He began serving a 12-year jail sentence in August last year after the Federal Court upheld his conviction and sentence. – January 12, 2024