US ambassador Joseph Y Yun's reasoning that spy equipment is placed in US facilities in countries including Malaysia to monitor terrorist activities is “absolutely unacceptable”, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said.

In a statement, he said that any form of espionage from the United States is a move to “undermine its target countries’ sovereignty”.

“If the United States is sincere in their long friendship with Malaysia, they could have just asked for help, cooperated and shared information on such threats with Malaysian authorities like the police and armed forces, for further action,” he said.

He said that such actions “belittles Malaysia’s intelligence gathering and security measures”.

“Umno Youth views this matter seriously and urges the Foreign Ministry to take urgent action by demanding an explanation from the US embassy over the veracity of these reports involving espionage against the Malaysian government,” he said.

Meanwhile, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim condemned Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for his silence on the matter.

Condemning the espionage, he said that other nations have voiced their outrage over the “nefarious acts”.

“Malaysia, on the other hand, under Najib has chosen to remain tongue-tied,” he said.

Send protest note

Supporting Anwar, PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said that Malaysia should send protest notes to both the US and Australian envoys on the matter.

“Putrajaya must send send a protest note immediately as there is concern that (information obtained through espionage) will be manipulated in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement talks,” he said in a statement.

He also urged all Malaysians to protest the spying activities, as Germans did when the United States had admitted that to have spied on and tapped telephone calls on German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Yesterday, Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said that Yun had told the government the US conducts “surveillance activities” worldwide for security purposes but does not invade individual privacy.

“The ambassador added that the US embassy had received instructions from Washington DC to review the scope of work in this matter,” Anifah said in a statement.

The minister said the American ambassador also gave an assurance that the privacy of individuals would not be affected.

Anifah also said that sovereignty is Malaysia’s priority, and that the government is working closely with the relevant authorities to seek further evidence of breach of sovereignty.

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