Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom has denied allegations that he went to the US last year using funds meant for orphans and poor children.

He said the expose by National Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW) director Akmal Nasir earlier today was malicious and misleading.

"Allegations that I misused funds for orphans and poor children obtained from public donations to fund an overseas trip with my wife to play golf and visit shopping malls are malicious slander and misleading," he said in a statement today.

Jamil Khir has threatened to sue Akmal if he doesn't reply within 24 hours.

Akmal told Malaysiakini he will respond to Jamil tomorrow.

Read Jamil Khir's statement in full here .

The minister is also asking for a retraction and apology from news portal The Malaysian Insider over their report of the article.

Recounting his version of events, Jamil said his trip to the US in May last year was upon an invitation by various agencies under his purview, including Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam Malaysia (Yapeim).

The visit, he said, was also organised by the Malaysian embassy in the US and the Education Malaysia Chicago in conjunction with an event dubbed the 'Mid West Game' attended by 1,000 students in the US and Canada.

'Tarnish my credibility'

Jamil Khir said various programmes were organised in Indianapolis and Washington DC, including several by Yapeim for Malaysian students.

This included a golfing event jointly organised with the Malaysian embassy.

"As such, allegations that my US programmes were leisurely using orphans' funds is a slanderous attempt to tarnish my credibility and reputation as a minister in the prime minister's department.

"It is not fair to show a few documents that are confusing and don't show the entire programmes involving me," Jamil Khir said.