Kuala Lumpur: MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau Chief, Datuk Michael Chong, said the local media should be more cautious when writing stories that can have an adverse impact on the country's image.

He said the local newspapers should have avoided stories like the one which involved a Lebanese businessman, Dr Elie Youssef Najem, who claimed to be the third richest person in the world and to be worth US$46 billion (about RM175 billion).

"I was shocked and surprised when I read the newspapers yesterday; it was super big," he said of news reports on Elie who had announced that he was making a US$275 million (RM1.04 billion) donation to the National Cancer Council (Makna) for a cancer hospital and research.

Speaking to reporters at Wisma MCA here, Chong said he had received several complaints about Elie from people who claimed that they had not been paid by him as promised.

"Today, I received five complaints and I feel that I have an obligation to inform the public about this man," he added.

Among the complainants was a locksmith, Eddie Chan, who had phoned Chong and told him that Elie paid him RM10,000 by cheque for the keys and locks he had ordered but that the cheque had bounced.

Another was John Sing, a licensed money lender, who had claimed that he had lent Elie RM176,000 and was given five cheques, all of which bounced.

Chong said the local media too had not been helpful because their stories could lead the public to believe that Elie was a real billionaire.

"We could have escaped because we already know who he is but what about the other countries; he (Elie) could have used the newspaper reports here to cheat others who do not know. Therefore, I urge the authorities to take stern action against him," he added.- Bernama