After its lightning quick response to the Anwar Ibrahim sodomy verdict, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) now zips its lips on claims that it is paying "millions" of ringgit to a private contractor to manage public relations.

It also did not respond to allegations that the contractor, Paul Stadlen, was formerly attached with public relations firm Apco Worldwide.

The government paid Apco RM76.8 million to give Malaysia's public image an international boost from July 15, 2009 to June 4, 2010, and reportedly renewed the contract in 2010 amid public outcry.

Stadlen ( right ) or the PMO's National Communication Team did not respond to Malaysiakini' s email, phone calls or text messages on the allegations.

Sarawak Report earlier reported that Stadlen's firm was retained by PMO at a minimum of RM3 million a year and was commissioned also for a 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)-related project worth another RM1.5 million.

It also said Stadlen (right) was responsible for PMO's swift statement on the opposition leader's sodomy conviction on Feb 10.

Stadlen was also allegedly responsible for telling the New York Times that it is normal for the prime minister's family to live lavishly and that their wealth is from inheritance.

Malaysiakini had sought Stadlen and PMO to confirm these claims and clarify Stadlen's role in the communications team.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Stadlen, was already part of the PMO's National Communications Team in 2013.

Stadlen signed the 2009 agreement with Malaysia on behalf of Apco and Mind Team Sdn Bhd. He was then managing director of Apco Malaysia.

The Malaysian government has in the past few years made headlines for paying firms like Apco Worldwide and the now defunct Fact-based Communications to secure air time on global networks and opinion editorials in leading newspapers.

In 2011, former New Straits Times editor-in-chief A Kadir Jasin said the PMO's National Communications Team was made up of 11 personnel, mostly former journalists.

This is a much larger team than the three officers who handled the PMO's public relations when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister, Kadir wrote in his blog.

Meanwhile, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said in a statement today that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak must explain Stadlen’s actual status, job specification and remuneration when Parliament reconvenes on March 10.

Lim ( left ) said he had sent an oral question to the prime minister asking him to confirm the veracity of the Sarawak Report that Stadlen is being paid millions of ringgit to mastermind Najib’s communications policy.

The Gelang Patah MP also pointed out that the PMO statement on Anwar’s verdict had proved to be the "greatest public relations disaster" as it had only highlighted  the  lack of credibility and integrity in the administration of justice.

Lim said the PMO communications team had acted with super-speed to defend the Federal Court judgment dismissing Anwar’s appeal, even before the completion of the Federal Court judicial process.

“The alacrity of the PMO statement can only mean one thing: that it was privy to, or at least was in the know, that the Federal Court would dismiss Anwar’s appeal and send him back to jail,” he added.

“Under such circumstances, how could the Malaysian public, and the international community, have confidence in a  truly independent judiciary and just rule of law and that Anwar had a fair trial in the courts of the country?”