KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak has denied knowledge of a letter allegedly sent to the United States’ Central Intelligence Unit (CIA) asking for US support should Barisan Nasional win the 14th General Election with a slim majority.
Najib, who is former prime minister, said he was not aware of the letter.
“I am not aware of the letter. It was not directed by me.
" I can't confirm or deny. But I had no knowledge of it,” he said, adding it is not good to comment on leakages as it is “bad press."
Najib however said the alleged correspondence should have been kept confidential.
"This is between intelligence agencies and it should have been kept as a government secret. By exposing, it is no longer a secret," he said when met at the parliament lobby.
Najib added that based on date the letter was issued, it was during the general election campaigning period and "it would have been too late for the agency to affect the election results."
The three-page letter, according to reports, was allegedly signed by Datuk Hasanah Ab Hamid (who also leads a unit under the Research Division of the Prime Minister’s Department) and apart from congratulating the new CIA appointee, also appealed for the US to support Najib’s administration “even if BN won the election by a simple majority or just one seat”.
The letter supposedly read that any indication that the US government would continue to support Najib and his government would “definitely strengthen stability and enhance the existing cordial relationship driven by the strong rapport between our two leaders.”
The letter allegedly stated that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was “harmful to the US and its interests” as he had been anti-West, anti-Semitic and autocratic, while also ignoring human rights and the rule of law.
The letter drew criticism from veteran’s group National Patriots Association (Patriot). which labeled it an “act of treason.”
Patriot president Brig Jen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji said they had lodged a police report against the signatory of the letter, Hasanah.
He called on Hasanah to explain her reasons for writing the letter, and whether she had been directed to write the letter or if she did so on her own accord.