PM, cabinet need not know about CIA letter, says lawyer

(TMI) – FORMER prime minister Najib Razak did not have to know about the letter sent to the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as it was a routine operational matter, said a lawyer representing the sender of the letter – Hasanah Abdul Hamid, the former director-general of Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO).

The lawyer, Shaharudin Ali, explained that MEIO has a very close relationship with the CIA and has been exchanging intelligence for a long period of time on matters concerning national security.

“There are matters that the prime minister and the cabinet should know and there are things that they are not informed about,”   Shaharudin said.

“Like sending this letter, it is a routine operational matter therefore the prime minister did not have to know. This is a normal routine and it is the culture of intelligence agencies.

“What is important is that how such a highly confidential letter could be leaked to the public. The letter is classified under the Official Secrets Act and cannot be published like any normal letter.”

Shaharudin said the letter sent by Hasanah was examined by ten other officers from the intelligence agency prior to it being sent on May 4.

He also cited the confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia in 1963, when Malaysia’s intelligence agencies including MEIO had written similar letters to the US, Canada and United Kingdom seeking assistance.

“Before the letter was sent out, it was examined by 10 other officers from the unit and it shows that this is a very highly-classified matter,” he said.

“MEIO has been around for many years. It was established in the 60’s working together with the Special Branch, Military Intelligence and the National Security Council.

“During the Malaysia-Indonesia confrontation, the same kind of letter was sent to our counterparts, seeking assistance because it involves national security,” the lawyer said.

Najib had recently denied knowing about the existence of the letter after it was made public in an exclusive report by online news site Malaysiakini.

The letter which was signed by Hasanah had appealed to the US to support Najib in the outcome of the May 9 general election “even if we win the election by a simple majority or just one seat.”

Najib told reporters that the letter was not directed by him and it was an agency-to-agency matter.

“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,” said the disgraced former prime minister.

“It was ‘agency to agency’, I cannot confirm nor deny but I had no knowledge,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby last week.

The letter was addressed to CIA director Gina Haspel.

Earlier today, Hasanah together with Shaharudin had filed a police report at the Travers police station regarding the letter.

Hasanah spent more than one hour at the police station in what was her first public appearance since the letter went viral.