THE head of a secretive and powerful intelligence agency within the Prime Minister’s Office has gone on leave pending a probe into suspicions Najib Razak handed her important documents two days before GE14.

Commercial Crime Division personnel raided Hasanah Ab Hamid’s home in Seri Kembangan on Friday and Saturday but failed to recover the documents.

They believe the documents are stashed away in one of the safe houses operated by the innocuously named Research Department.

Police have also sealed off two buildings in Putrajaya and Jalan Bellamy where the unit operated. There is precious little information on the intelligence unit known as the Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation. 

But government sources said the unit received massive funding from the Najib administration which employed it to keep tabs on government critics at home and abroad.

It is understood the unit closely monitored the political situation in southern Thailand and southern Philippines, where Islamic groups are fighting for autonomy.

Investigators noted the Research Department existed before Najib became PM but had in recent years carried out secret operations to keep him in power. 

Three hundred personnel reported to Hasanah, who reported only to Najib. Installed as the director-general of the Research Department in 2014, Hasanah ‎was a confidante of Najib.

It is unclear what documents the former prime minister allegedly handed over to Hasanah on ‎May 7 – two days before Pakatan Harapan ended Barisan Nasional’s reign.

A well-informed source told Malaysia Decides: “It basically operated as a spy agency, and all its activities were tailored to keep Najib in power.

“They even had operatives stationed abroad.”

It is understood Hasanah is on leave pending completion of police investigations. – May 21, 2018.