The United States embassy in Kuala Lumpur will be closed tomorrow the first anniversary of the Sept 11 terror attacks due to a 'credible' security threat.

"Because of a credible and specific threat to the security of the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur, the embassy will be closed Wednesday to review its security posture," said the embassy in a short statement.

The statement, which was faxed to malaysiakini at 4.50pm today, indicated a sudden change in the embassy's assessment of the security threat.

An official from the embassy has earlier told malaysiakini that it would remain open tomorrow and that it had planned to hold a Sept 11 memorial service.

The statement also urged American citizens here to be "extremely cautious during the coming days".

"They should maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to reduce their vulnerability and maintain a low profile," read the statement.

The embassy, located along Jalan Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur, was the site of several anti-American demonstrations following the US-led retaliation on Afghanistan last October.

Malaysian police have since beefed up the security at the embassy.

When contacted, a spokesperson from the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters said that they were not aware of the matter.

Embassy in Jakarta closed

In a related development, AFP reported that the US embassy in Jakarta and its consulate in Surabaya were closed after receiving a threat regarding a terrorist attack.

The closure will last until "further notice" though no details about the threat were divulged.

American citizens in Indonesia were advised to avoid facilities associated with the embassy.

However, Indonesian police were quoted as saying that there was no sign of any threat.