THE Prime Minister’s Office is now in full damage control and today swiftly denied appointing a Washington lobbyist who was part of the Trump campaign in the United States presidential elections last year.

There is much at stake for Malaysia as Putrajaya is counting on low key, under the radar approach to build ties with US President Donald Trump. At the same time, Malaysian officials are hoping that improved ties will lead to untangling the Department of Justice (DoJ) mess.

But now, it has become a mess. Apparently, a Singapore businessman and one of Prime Minister Najib Razak’s media advisors came up with a plan of hiring a lobbyist to help smoothen US-Malaysia ties.

The Malaysian Insight understands the fees for the lobbyist Healy Baumgardner-Nardone with the 45 Group were to be paid by the Singaporean businessman, who has forged strong links with the PM’s family and his brothers.

Prime Minister Najib Razak’s press secretary Tengku Sariffuddin released a media statement this evening to quash speculation that the government had hired the lobbyist.

“Contrary to recent media reports and a registration statement, neither the Prime Minister’s Office or Government of Malaysia has instructed, appointed or contracted in any form with the Godfrey Group Ltd, the 45 Group or Healy Baumgardner-Nardone,” Tengku Sariffuddin said.

The Daily Beast today cited a US DoJ National Security Division filing that was made last week that registered The 45 Group as an agent of the “Republic of Malaysia”  via the Godfrey Group Ltd.  

The filing lists the addresses of the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya and the Godfrey Group in Johor Baru. The filing records that the 45 Group was paid US$250,000 (RM1.07 million) (on May 9 for the purpose of “Government relations and public relations services”.

The record also states that “The 45 Group will assist the Godfrey Group Ltd with  government relations and public relations services in support of the Government of Malaysia and strengthening the US-Malaysian relationship”.

The 45 Group was set up by Baumgardner-Nardone, who was a press of aide of Trump during the presidential campaign. She had resigned in September last year over unspecified differences with the campaign leadership, the Daily Beast reported, but has maintained close relationships with the US president’s inner circle.

Malaysian sources familiar with lobbyist work in the US said governments usually hired lobbyists and not private companies.

“It is strange a company hired the lobbyist and not the Malaysian government. The company is just opening itself for investigations,” one source said.

“Also, why hire anyone who left the Trump campaign? Baumgardner-Nardone isn’t part of the inner circle, is she?” he added.

The DoJ filing did not provide details on what issues the 45 Group would work on, but the Daily Beast noted that Malaysia had sought to refute claims by Trump that the country engages in unfair trade practices.

In March, Malaysia was also one of more than dozen countries of “trade cheaters” that Trump directed the Department of Commerce to crack down on.

The Daily Beast also reported that Prime Minister Najib Razak was also allegedly implicated in a corruption scandal involving 1Malaysia Development Bhd, and that his stepson was one of the defendants in a DoJ lawsuit seeking to recover assets allegedly purloined from 1MDB.

Najib had sought to play up his relationship with Trump after the US presidential election in November 8, posting on Facebook that : “Great to reconnect with President-elect Trump following his outstanding win.”

Najib had said that he first met Trump several years ago when the prime minister was in New York for a UN Summit. They had played a round of golf, and Najib keeps a ball signed by Trump,: “To my favorite Prime Minister. Great win!”. – May 26, 2017.