Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has questioned whether the letter sent by Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) headquarters in Washington DC is "genuine".

He said that the letter - which has been widely circulated - raises doubts due to the substandard nature of its composition, especially when it is supposed to have originated from the Home Ministry.

"I had my doubts because of the language in the letter, which is not of international standard.

"Worse still, is the date of the letter which is written in the Malay language," Lim said at a press conference today.

"We expect the Home Ministry to have a higher standard, especially when this is a letter from government to government," Lim mocked.

"The language used is embarrassing, that we have such standards demonstrated.

"Please engage a better letter writer next time, if such letters are to be issued," he added.

Malaysia 'eager' for Phua's return?

Lim was responding to the letter that had been addressed to FBI deputy director Mark F Giuliano - supposedlywritten by Zahid on Dec 18 - which states that accused gambling kingpin Paul Phua Wen Seng is not a 14k triad member.

In the letter, Zahid (right) reportedly says Phua had assisted Malaysia on national security matters, and that Malaysia was eager for his return to the country.

However, if the letter, which has been widely reported by the media is genuine, Zahid must clarify why he wrote it, Lim stressed.

Lim said questions have abounded over the home minister’s integrity and the image of the country, which has been compromised by the revelation of the letter.

He added that based on the letter, queries have arisen over the kind of company kept by the home minister.

"He (Zahid) is also one of the candidates for the deputy prime minister's post (as he is one of the vice-presidents of Umno), and people are asking what kind of company he is mixing with," Lim noted.

Zahid's letter to the FBI


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