Najib: I have no knowledge of CIA letter

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he had no knowledge of a letter purportedly sent to the US's Central Intelligence Agency by a division under his department prior to the 14th General Election.

"It was not directed (by) me. The letter was written by the agency (Prime Minister's Department Research Division). Whether they wrote the letter or not, you need to ask them.

"It was 'agency to agency' I cannot confirm nor deny but I had no knowledge," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby on Thursday (July 26).

Najib, who is also Pekan MP, maintained that he does not know what was in the letter and it was his policy not to make comments on such leakages as it would set a bad precedent.

Asked if similar letters were written to the intelligence agencies of other countries, Najib said he was unaware.

"These things are usually done by our intelligence agencies and it is not our policy to reveal it.

"It is a Government secret. If we reveal it, it means nothing can be considered a Government secret," he added.

Earlier, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng urged for an investigation into the letter sent to the US intelligence agency that supposedly sought support for Najib just a few days before the May 9 polls.

"This is actually very drastic as it involves the sovereignty of the nation.

"It sounds like it was inviting foreign forces to intervene in the nation's affairs.

"Were (similar) letters sent to other countries? Are there any other letters?," questioned Lim who is also Bagan MP.

Online portal Malaysiakini reported that the three-page letter from the Research Division in the Prime Minister's Department, which is supposed to be an intelligence unit, had appealed to the United States to support Najib "even if we win the election by a simple majority or just one seat."

The letter was addressed to CIA director Gina Haspel.