KUALA LUMPUR (May 26): Putrajaya says it has not "instructed, appointed or contracted" former campaign aide to U.S. president Donald Trump Healy Baumgardner-Nardone or her company to lobby on its behalf in Washington.

The denial, issued in a statement today by Datuk Seri Tengku Sariffuddin, press secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, came following allegations US$250,000 (about RM1.07 million) was paid to Baumgardner-Nardone's company, The 45 Group, under which her work for the Malaysian government will be carried out.

"We always welcome friends from around the world who rightly point out that Malaysia has a successful business-friendly economy, open to trade and investment, and is a moderate Muslim-majority country which, under Prime Minister Najib Razak’s leadership, is a firm partner in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

"However, 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," said Tengku Sariffuddin.

Yesterday, American news portal The Daily Beast reported Baumgardner-Nardone registered as a U.S. lobbyist for the government of Malaysia last week, citing documents filed with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
 
The portal said she will provide “government relations and public relations services in support of the Government of Malaysia and strengthening the US-Malaysian relationship”.
 
It also said the documents showed that The 45 Group received a cheque for the US$250,000 on May 9 from a Malaysian company called Godfrey Group Ltd, for work that included U.S. public and government relations, and "business consulting services for activities that are not governed” by laws requiring the disclosure of foreign government advocacy.

Under the U.S.’s Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, lobbyists acting for foreign countries in the U.S. are required to disclose details regarding the advocacy work. The documents, however, did not list what specific issues she would work on. 

However, the report noted Malaysia had sought to refute Trump’s claim that the country engaged in unfair trade practices. 

The report also highlighted Najib was at the centre of a major corruption scandal involving the siphoning of more than a billion dollars from a state-run investment fund, with his stepson being named as one of the defendants in a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to recover assets allegedly pilfered from the fund.

The exposure prompted opposition lawmaker and Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli to question what Putrajaya’s motive was in appointing the former Trump aide to lobby on its behalf in the U.S.
 
“Which case would require the expertise of a paid lobbyist?” Rafizi questioned in a blog post dated May 25.
 
“I also want the Prime Minister to answer [as to] who is behind the Godfrey Group that is lobbying on behalf of the Malaysian government, and who paid [US$250,000] to the firm (The 45 Group)?” he added.