Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today denied allegations that there were differences between him and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

In dismissing the rumour, Najib said he enjoyed a "close and strong" relationship with Abdullah in steering the country's development.

"Being the number two in the country, I always strive to assist the prime minister in the country's administration and so on for the good of the country.

"Don't listen to the stories in the Internet... they are all a myth," he said in Pekan, Pahang in a Bernama report.

Najib, who is also defence minister, also took swipes by 'certain groups' who held ceramah (political talks) in Pekan to discredit him.

Hot seat

On March 9, former DPM Anwar Ibrahim visited Pekan and spoke for an hour at a ceramah which was said to be attended by more than 1,000 people.

In his speech, Anwar made reference to Najib when he spoke about several issues including Altantuya Shariibuu murder trial and the alleged swindling of funds in defence procurement.

The Pekan seat is Najib's stronghold which he nearly lost in the 1999 general election to an unknown PAS candidate.

However, Najib scored handsome victory in the Pekan seat, which underwent redelineation, during the 2004 general election.