US denies it tried to influence Malaysia’s political leadership in 2014

The US rejected a claim by Malaysia’s opposition Islamist party that Washington once sought to influence the country’s choice of political leadership, calling the allegation false.“The United States has never sought to decide Malaysia’s political leadership,” US embassy in Malaysia Charge d’Affaires David H. Gamble Jnr said in a statement on social media on Sunday. “Any account to the contrary is false.”Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) president Abdul Hadi Awang said at the Islamist party’s annual congress on Saturday that a US ambassador once asked the party whom it would propose as prime minister if it took power.Hadi said the meeting took place around the time of former president Barack Obama’s visit to Malaysia in 2014, when PAS was part of Pakatan Rakyat, an opposition alliance that was later dissolved. He said the then-US ambassador had requested to meet him and he attended with former PAS secretary general Mustafa Ali.According to Hadi, the ambassador asked: “Who does PAS propose as prime minister?”The cleric said he responded: “Who does America agree with?” and it left the ambassador “stunned”. The remark drew laughter from delegates at PAS’ gathering in Kelantan state, which the party has ruled for decades.