PUTRAJAYA: Allegations that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had engaged the services of a US lobbyist via a Malaysian company took a new twist today when a businesswoman demanded a public apology from PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli.
Florence Goh, from Johor, claims that Rafizi, who is also Pandan Member of Parliament, had wrongly used her name and that of her company in his allegations.
Rafizi, she said, should apologise or face legal action.
“I came out to seek the media's help because Rafizi has wrongly used my name and my company's name," Goh told a press conference here.
“I'm a professional information technology trainer. My name is everywhere online. His allegations are harmful to my business, my family and my reputation. If he doesn't issue a public apology, I have the right to exercise my legal option,” she said.
Describing herself as a ‘victim of circumstance’, Goh has sought help from the Secretariat for the Advancement of Malaysian Entrepreneurs (SAME).
The SME secretariat falls under the purview of Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, who was present at the press conference.
In his blog posting, Rafizi had linked Goh and her company, CRT Insights Technologies Sdn Bhd to Godfrey Group Limited - the firm that has allegedly hired Healy Baumgardner-Nardone, a former aide to US president Donald Trump, for a fee of US$250,000 (RM1.125 million) to lobby for the Malaysian government.
Goh said there was also a difference in the address stated in Rafizi’s claim.
“My business address is No.42, Jalan Molek 2/1, Taman Molek Johor Bahru. It’s not No. 42, Jalan Molek 2/3 as alleged by Rafizi,” Goh said.
She added that her numerous attempts to contact the PKR vice-president had failed.
“I can't sleep, eat or work because of this. My investors from Singapore are asking if I am the Florence Goh in the allegations. Even my staff are worried,” she said.