Veterans group lodges report over CIA letter
SUBANG JAYA: A veterans group said the letter allegedly written by the former government’s intelligence unit to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), appealing for the United States to support then-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration, is an act of treason.
National Patriots Association (Patriot) president BrigadierGeneral (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji said it lodged a report against the signatory of the letter, Datuk Hasanah Ab Hamid.
Subang Jaya deputy police chief Superintendent Choo Lily confirmed the report was lodged at the USJ8 police station.
“The letter, which was sent to CIA director Gina Haspel five days before the 14th General Election, can jeopardise national security and the sovereignty of our country.
“Hasanah must explain her reason for writing the letter, calling for CIA’s backing in our internal affairs.” He said it was common knowledge that the CIA had meddled in the affairs of many countries to prop up regimes favoured by it.
He said Hasanah, who also leads a unit under the Research Division of the Prime Minister’s Department, must explain if she had been directed to write the letter or did so on her own.
It was reported that besides congratulating the new CIA director, the three-page letter appealed for the US to support Najib’s administration “even if BN won the election by a simple majority or just one seat”.
It said 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 stated that Dr Mahathir Mohamad was harmful to the US and its interests as he had been anti-West, anti-Semitic and autocratic, while ignoring human rights and the rule of law.
Najib has said that he was not behind the letter and that he was unaware of such letter being sent to the CIA as not every letter went through him.