KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday, April 6, sought to raise fears of a threat to national security, alleging that two former Israeli intelligence personnel were working as sub-contractors in a project to upgrade the Royal Malaysian Police force's information and communications system.

When debating the supplementary bill, Anwar claimed that two Israelis were "sitting 24 hours a day" in the server room of police headquarters Bukit Aman in the course of their duties in upgrading the police force's communications systems, called the Police Reporting System (PRS).

According to Anwar (Permatang Pauh - PKR), the contract had been awarded to Master Plan Consultancy Sdn Bhd, who then purportedly appointed Asiasoft (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd as its subcontractor.

The contract was supposedly meant upgrade the police communications system from an analogue to a digital system, as well as to oversee the police force's information and communications processes, Anwar said.

Anwar also claimed that the police force's special branch unit had in 2008 identified the two former intelligence officers of the Israeli Defence Force in the PRS project by virtue of their roles in Asiasoft.

In making his allegations, Anwar cited a letter, dated Dec 1, 2008, purportedly written by the police logistics department director Datuk Mashuri Zainal.

Anwar claimed that Mashuri had allegedly proposed that the Home Ministry axe Master Plan Consultancy's contract on grounds of national security and that Asiasoft's appointment as the project's subcontractor had not obtained written approval from the government.

According to Anwar, Mashuri's letter also pointed to earlier reports by the police force's special branch, which stated that Asiasoft's major shareholders were Bees System Sdn Bhd and Asiasoft (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

Anwar claimed that these major shareholders were controlled by Tel Aviv-based Asiasoft Global Ptd Ltd.

Anwar further alleged that Asiasoft (Singapore) and Asiasoft Global had two Israeli directors, Izhak David Nakar and Ido Schechter.

The PKR adviser also claimed that a police officer identified as ASP Suhaimi had on Nov 28, 2008 lodged a police report against Master Plan Consultancy for alleged false declaration.

According to Anwar, police investigations into Suhaimi's complaint stalled after the case's investigating offier, one ASP Sairah, was allegedly transferred to Taiping.

Anwar also claimed that Mashuri had written to the Home Ministry's secretary-general and the Home Ministry's legal adviser in December, 2008 to reiterate Mahsuri's earlier report to the then-Anti-Corruption Agency (now Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) to ask that the contract be terminated.

Anwar claimed that the home ministry's legal adviser replied Mashuri's letter on Jan 12, 2009 saying that the contract can only be terminated if instructed by the Home Ministry's "top leadership".

When making his allegations, Anwar did not reveal how he obtained the information or if he had copies of the letters he cited. Throughout his speech, Anwar was seen reading from a notepad.

Anwar also alleged that Asiasoft was also involved with the Defence Ministry in a 1,100-acre technology park in Sungkai, Perak valued at RM900 million.

During his speech, Anwar also alleged that the then-Home Minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Syed Jaafar Albar was present at a special briefing on the matter on Nov 25, 2008 at KLIA's VIP room.

Syed Hamid (Kota Tinggi - BN) then stood up to denounce Anwar's claims as "lies", before later stating that as a minister he had attended numerous meetings and could not remember.

"We cannot push this matter aside because the evidence is strong. If there is an investigation I will give my cooperation ... The bigger treason is to let in a few Israeli intelligence officers. If someone knows this infomation but remains silent then he is involved in treason," Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat.

Asked at a press conference later, Anwar said special branch officers only identified Asiasoft when the company was appointed as subcontractors to Master Plan Consultancy, but the communications upgrading contract had began in 2001 with the Sapura Group.

To another question, Anwar said he only knew that two Israelis were involved in Asiasoft but did not know what their positions were and did not know when Master Plan Consultancy's contract had expired.

Anwar said that this was not about "anti-Semitism", but was an inssue of security and foreign spies.

"I don't know of any country, with any level of credibility and integrity, that would ever condone presence of ex-intelligence forces of another country deep into their communications and strategy infrastructure unless they (the countries) are completely slavish to their foreign interests," he said.