PUTRAJAYA: The government is prepared to meet the United States counterpart on concerns that it raised in the recent news reports on possible sanctions.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the matter was discussed briefly in the cabinet meeting earlier.
Fahmi, who is unity government spokesman, said the report had attracted the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and cabinet members.
"Discussion is ongoing, so I won't be able to comment extensively on it.
"We want to assert that Malaysia is a sovereign nation and we comply with UN (United Nations) sanctions, but when it comes to unilaterally applied sanctions, we would have to assess the matter further," he said at a press conference at the ministry today.
It was reported that the US Treasury Department's top sanctions official was supposed to travel to Singapore and Malaysia this week.
On this, Fahmi said he was unable to confirm whether the meeting had taken place, but reiterated that discussion at the government level on the matter was ongoing.
He said the respective ministries would issue statements on it.
When further asked about money moving to Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, through the Malaysian financial system, Fahmi said it would be raised during the engagement with US officials.
The news of the visit, first reported by Reuters, would see Treasury's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Brian Nelson, expected to discuss US concerns and the sanctions risk such activity poses, the source said.
The visit comes as the Treasury has increased its focus on terrorist financing through Southeast Asia, including through fundraising efforts and illicit Iranian oil sales, the source said.