Sean Penn slams Wyclef's Haiti efforts

Sean Penn. Photo / AP

Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn has poured cold water on Wyclef Jean's bid for the Haitian presidency, AFP reported today.

Penn questioned the motives of the musician and those backing his campaign.

Penn, who has spent extended periods in Haiti since the devastating January 12 earthquake which killed almost 300,000 people, told CNN that Jean has been a "non-presence" during efforts to rebuild the state in the months since the disaster.

"He has been virtually silent for those of us in Haiti. He has been a non-presence," said Penn, who has been running a 55,000-person tent camp through the J/P Haitian Relief Organisation he co-founded.

While acknowledging Jean was an "important voice," Penn also accused the former Fugees frontman of misusing more than US$400,000 donated to his charity.

"That has to be looked into," Penn said.

"I've been there (Haiti). I know what $400,000 could do for these people's lives and for a 24-year-old girl right now who is dying.

"So, I want to see someone who is really, really willing to sacrifice for their country and not just someone who I personally saw with a vulgar entourage of vehicles that demonstrated a wealth in Haiti that, in context, I felt was a very obscene demonstration", reported AFP.

Earlier this year, Jean broke down in tears after denying that his Yele Haiti Foundation had misused funds.

It followed the publication of a 2006 tax return which showed more than a third of the foundation's revenues had been diverted to miscellaneous expenses.

* Sean Penn won the Best Actor Oscar at the Academy Awards in 2009 for his portrayal of Harvey Milk in the film Milk.