PARLIAMENT The International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) is investigating the claim that one of its high-ranking officers had criticised Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in the presence of foreign envoys.

Initially it was reported based on a Facebook posting by one Maria Tay that the officer had described the prime minister as an "incapable worthless cow".

However, in a subsequent posting, Tay claimed the officer did not use those words, but rather ran down Najib to the point of making him appear like an "incapable worthless cow".

"The person did not specifically call Najib a 'worthless cow' and I certainly did not post that.

"What I was referring to is that the person bad-mouth (sic) the government and all her superiors until they seem like the 'worthless cows' in her elevated views of herself," she said.

Her original post, in which she also described the officer as a "scumbag", read: "Tan Sri...condemned our govt, PM Najib and trade minister like some incapable worthless cows".

Earlier, Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Ahmad Maslan (photo) told the Dewan Rakyat that the ministry would look into the matter.

"I had called the (Miti) minister (Mustapa Mohamed)... Investigation to be done. This is a serious allegation,” he said.

Earlier, BN lawmaker Tiong King Sing (BN-Bintulu) cited a Facebook posting which claimed that the officer hurled the insult during the event several months ago.

"If this (is proven) to be true, the officer was not helping the government, but she is destroying the government. She did what the opposition usually does.

"If this is true, how could she (make such a remark)? I don't want to see this type of officers in the government system," he said.

Malaysiakini is withholding the name of the officer pending her comment on the allegation.

According to Tay’s posting, two foreign envoys, local CEOs and executives were present when the remark was made.

"She (the officer) said the government should shut down and Miti does not care because they can run by itself without those useless ministers," read the posting.

Tay, who presumably attended the dinner, said she had never been so embarrassed.

In the same posting, she also uploaded a photograph of Najib with a woman, who is believed to be the officer.

"Looking at this photo makes me wonder if she has the guts to tell PM Najib what she had said?" she asked.