THE US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has denied ever seeking to determine who leads Malaysia, describing any reports alleging that it had attempted to influence the country’s political leadership as false.
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim David H Gamble Jr said the United States had never sought to determine Malaysia’s political leadership.
“The United States has never sought to determine Malaysia’s political leadership and any reports alleging otherwise are false,” he said in a statement.

The denial followed allegations by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang that a US Embassy representative had asked him about the party’s proposed candidate for prime minister during a meeting at the embassy.
Hadi also claimed that two senior PAS leaders, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan and Datuk Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, had earlier been informed about the possibility of bringing down the government and taking over the administration, with the United States allegedly prepared to assist.
The allegations have not been independently substantiated.
The embassy reiterated that its diplomatic engagement with Malaysia remained focused on strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. - September 6, 2026