The issue where foreign embassies had used Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) personnel to leak national secrets will be settle via diplomatic channel, Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

He said the parties concerned would be told to stop doing it as it could sour the good ties between Malaysia and the countries involved.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had also been briefed on the matter.

"For the sake of diplomatic ties with neighbouring countries, the prime minister had asked the Defence Ministry not to reveal the embassies involved," he said after launching the Juara Rakyat programme for Bagan Datoh parliamentary constituency today.

Zahid hoped that attempts to obtain national secrets by neighbouring countries would not be repeated.

The countries concerned have defence ties with Malaysia.

"We hope that diplomatic and military diplomacy with the countries concerned will continue to be good," he said.

- Bernama