Officials in the service of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor were told their daughter's pre-engagement visit to future in-laws in Kazakhstan must coincide with the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) held in that country recently.

"In fact some of the officials were harassed to make it so," Kuala Selangor parliamentarian Dzulkefly Ahmad told Malaysiakini today.

NONE Dzulkefly said, based on reliable sources, the instructions were handed down by the premier and his wife.

"I am going to bring this matter and the information I have to Parliament," the PAS leader said.

Parliament is slated to begin sitting on Monday.

Dzulkefly was referring to allegations that Najib misused an official visit for personal reasons when he used the Malaysian entourage to go to a pre-engagement function to his future in-laws in Kazakhstan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Information and Public Diplomacy has denied the claim that Najib's Kazakhstan visit was for the wedding of his daughter Nooryana Najwa, 22.

Nooryana is engaged to Daniyar Nazarbeyav, the son of a top Kazakhstan official.

They met while Nooryana was a student at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

'Scheduling not transparent'

Najib and Rosmah's pre-engagement visit with their daughter's future in-laws conveniently coincided with an official visit to Kazakhstan in conjunction with the WIEF recently.

Dzulkefly is alleging that both events' timing was not accidental but planned by Najib and Rosmah.

NONE In what he described as a blatant misuse of public funds, Dzulkefly also claimed that the entourage was bloated with extra guests and preparations to accommodate Najib's daughter's pre-engagement visit.

"When you are in a foreign land in an official entourage, your movements and schedule may mean extra costs. Did the groom's father pay, or Najib is using public funds? Its all muddled and is not transparent."

"The business of pre-engagement discussions is a messy one, and it caused a lot of trouble for the Malaysian WIEF delegation officials. I even hear from officials and reporters how they don't like it when Rosmah was throwing her weight around during the whole thing," he added.