In response to a recent New York Times article (Sept 10) alleging terrorist activities in Malaysia, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said, among other things, that the "government would ask for more information from Washington".

Actually, I think the deputy prime minister need not waste time asking the Americans for such information. He can just as well ask his Umno Supreme Council and cabinet colleague, Khalil Yaakob, about the alleged terrorist links and activities.

After all, the Feb 23 issue of Asiaweek reported that Khalil met a leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), one Ghazali Jaafar, a man wanted for murder by the Philippine authorities. Khalil and Ghazali even had their photo taken together. And if the Asiaweek report is to be believed, well, the successful property developer going by the pseudonym, "Haji Yusof" in the article seems to have superlative links with the MILF. According to "Haji Yusof", many successful Malay businessmen privately support the Moro struggle. Since "Haji Yusof" keeps the photo of Khalil and Ghazali in his office, it is likely that "Haji Yusof" is well-known to Khalil.

But is the MILF a terrorist organisation? A Far Eastern Economic Review article (Sept 27) seems to suggest so. It reports that senior US State Department officials suspect Indonesian militants who had received training from the MILF and Abu Sayyaf were likely to be behind the car bomb that severely wounded Philippine Ambassador Leonides Caday in Jakarta last year. And, according to the same FEER article, Filipino government troops killed several Middle-Eastern and Pakistani trainers and demolition experts when they overran the main MILF base on Mindanao last year.

So, it is possible that Khalil Yaacob and "Haji Yusof", given their contact with Ghazali Jaafar, might be informed about the possibility of terrorist links and similar alleged activities in Malaysia, if at all they exist. So, Mr Deputy Premier, please ask your cabinet colleague.

Besides Khalil Yaakob, Abdullah he should also ask ex-senator Sarin Karno about the possibility of such activities and links in Malaysia. An AFP news report (June 8) suggests that Sarin Karno was one of two Malaysians requested by Abu Sayyaf to mediate in the recent hostage crisis in the Philippines. Such a request for mediation shows that the Abu Sayyaf obviously trust certain Malaysians more than they trust their own Filipino countryfolk as hostage negotiators. According to the same AFP report, Sarin Karno was also involved in some "backdoor negotiations" with Abu Sayyaf and successfully negotiated the release of the nine Malaysians taken hostage from Pulau Sipadan.

Thus, it is likely that Sarin Karno would be informed about the possibility of terrorist links and similar alleged activities in Malaysia, if at all they exist. So, Mr Deputy Premier, please contact Sarin Karno.