Najib Abdul Razak must be the "worst prime minister in Malaysian history" for not knowing that a department under him had sought foreign intervention prior to the 14th general election, said DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.

In a statement, the Iskandar Puteri MP demanded that the former premier explain his "very lame and totally unacceptable" denial of the matter in the Parliament next week.

Lim was responding to Najib's denial to a Malaysiakini expose earlier today that Hasanah Abdul Hamid, the director-general of the research division of the Prime Minister's Department, had written a letter dated May to then CIA director-designate Gina Haspel.

In the letter dated May 4, she had appealed for US support for Najib's administration if BN won by a simple majority or even a single seat.

The three-page letter had painted Najib as a progressive leader and a staunch supporter of the US while describing Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad as “anti-West”.

Najib responded with a denial, claiming he had no knowledge about the letter.

“I am surprised. I did not even know of its existence. Not all letters have to go through me," he told Malaysiakini.

Lim, in a statement, rubbished Najib's denial, asking whether the latter's government was "so shambolic and anarchic that the right hand did not know what the left hand was doing”.

If indeed Najib was unaware of the letter, Lim said: "Najib is clearly the worst prime minister in Malaysian history."

Secret unit

"There is an even more serious question - how can a caretaker government pen such a disgraceful and even disloyal letter to the intelligence organ of a foreign government asking for foreign interference in the domestic affairs of Malaysia?

"Najib's claim that he had no knowledge about the letter is very lame and completely unacceptable. His claim that agencies have the autonomy to perform their duties for reasons they think would benefit them must be repudiated in no uncertain terms," said Lim.

Lim added that MCA's sole parliamentarian, Ayer Hitam MP Wee Ka Siong, had avoided his question in Parliament on whether he was aware of the said letter as Wee was a former minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

"Let Najib turn up in Parliament on Monday and justify the despatch of the shocking letter and he should also take the opportunity to explain when Parliament approved the setting up of a secret intelligence unit in the Prime Minister’s Office and the details about its budget and operations."