Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has refused to comment about his letter to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in which he stated that alleged kingpin Paul Phua is not a member of the 14K triad.

Instead, the minister insisted that the 14K triad did not exist in Malaysia, according to a Kwong Wah Daily report today.

Zahid ( right ) was quoted by the daily as saying in Putrajaya yesterday that he will only address the letter in a future press conference.

The minister had been embroiled in controversy after his Dec 18, 2014 letter to FBI deputy director Mark F Giuliano was reported by Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post .

In the letter , Zahid also revealed that Phua was helping the Malaysian government on matters concerning national security, and was "eager" to see the latter return to Malaysia.

Zahid's assertion contradicted a 2008 FBI internal document which was based on Malaysian police information that identified Phua as a member of the 14K triad.

According to the FBI internal document sighted by Malaysiakini , the FBI said the Malaysian police shared that the 14K triad was involved in illegal drugs, illegal gambling and money laundering activities in Malaysia.

US prosecutors that suspect Phua of being a triad member had slapped him with illegal gambling charges.

Veteran lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah - who is acting for Phua in Malaysia - told a press conference yesterday that Zahid had only written the letter at his law firm's request.

Shafee ( left ) said Zahid had a legal duty to respond to such queries as long as it did not involve national security.

He added that the minister had replied directly to the FBI to avoid doubt about the authenticity of the response.

Shafee, who is a leading lawyer for Umno, also said that the Malaysian police's information - which the FBI was basing on - was " wrong ", and Zahid's letter was meant to correct that.

The 14K triad is a transnational organised crime entity that has roots in Hong Kong with operations throughout the region.

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