Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KUALALUMPUR1288
2006-07-12 07:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:
MALAYSIAN RESPONSE TO TANCHON BANK ALLEGATIONS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0027 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHKL #1288 1930742 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 120742Z JUL 06 FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7079 INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASH DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 001288
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN, EB AND EAP
TREASURY PLEASE PASS TO FINCEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016
TAGS: EFIN SNAR KJUS KTFN KNNP MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN RESPONSE TO TANCHON BANK ALLEGATIONS
REF: A. CENZER E-MAIL 7/1/06
B. KUALA LUMPUR 0750
C. STATE 55463
Classified By: Acting DCM Colin Helmer for reason 1.4 (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 001288
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN, EB AND EAP
TREASURY PLEASE PASS TO FINCEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016
TAGS: EFIN SNAR KJUS KTFN KNNP MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN RESPONSE TO TANCHON BANK ALLEGATIONS
REF: A. CENZER E-MAIL 7/1/06
B. KUALA LUMPUR 0750
C. STATE 55463
Classified By: Acting DCM Colin Helmer for reason 1.4 (d).
1. (U) This is an action message. See paragraph 4.
2. (C) Economic Counselor provided Koid Swee Lian, Director
of Bank Negara Malaysia's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)
July 12 with Tanchon Bank's listing in Reed's Banker's
Almanac, which alleges that Tanchon has a correspondent
relationship with the Singapore branch of Malayan Banking BHD
(Ref A). Koid again confirmed that the FIU has found no
evidence that suggests such a relationship and that Maybank
officials remain concerned about the allegations of a
connection to Tanchon. She said she was sure that Maybank
would ask Reed to correct their records. She again asked for
confirmation that the USG would correct any of its records
suggesting a connection between Maybank and Tanchon.
3. (C) Koid and FIU Manager Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar, who was
also present at the meeting, said they had received a flurry
of inquiries about contacts with North Korean banks
immediately following the Banco Delta Asia case in Macau.
North Korean financial institutions apparently were seeking
new Asian partners. Rahman said that the FIU's advice was to
"weigh which relationship is more valuable to you: your
connections to the U.S. or to North Korea." They were not
aware of any case in which a Malaysia-based bank had
responded positively to a North Korean inquiry.
4. (C) Action request: Post reiterates the request in Ref B
for evidence we can share with FIU that confirms a connection
between Tanchon and Maybank, or authorization to inform FIU
that U.S. officials agree that the allegation is unfounded.
In view of our close working relationship with the FIU, and
the importance of this relationship to our counterterrorism
finance and money laundering cooperation with Malaysia, it is
essential that we provide solid evidence to support the
allegation, or clearly withdraw it.
LAFLEUR
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN, EB AND EAP
TREASURY PLEASE PASS TO FINCEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016
TAGS: EFIN SNAR KJUS KTFN KNNP MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN RESPONSE TO TANCHON BANK ALLEGATIONS
REF: A. CENZER E-MAIL 7/1/06
B. KUALA LUMPUR 0750
C. STATE 55463
Classified By: Acting DCM Colin Helmer for reason 1.4 (d).
1. (U) This is an action message. See paragraph 4.
2. (C) Economic Counselor provided Koid Swee Lian, Director
of Bank Negara Malaysia's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)
July 12 with Tanchon Bank's listing in Reed's Banker's
Almanac, which alleges that Tanchon has a correspondent
relationship with the Singapore branch of Malayan Banking BHD
(Ref A). Koid again confirmed that the FIU has found no
evidence that suggests such a relationship and that Maybank
officials remain concerned about the allegations of a
connection to Tanchon. She said she was sure that Maybank
would ask Reed to correct their records. She again asked for
confirmation that the USG would correct any of its records
suggesting a connection between Maybank and Tanchon.
3. (C) Koid and FIU Manager Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar, who was
also present at the meeting, said they had received a flurry
of inquiries about contacts with North Korean banks
immediately following the Banco Delta Asia case in Macau.
North Korean financial institutions apparently were seeking
new Asian partners. Rahman said that the FIU's advice was to
"weigh which relationship is more valuable to you: your
connections to the U.S. or to North Korea." They were not
aware of any case in which a Malaysia-based bank had
responded positively to a North Korean inquiry.
4. (C) Action request: Post reiterates the request in Ref B
for evidence we can share with FIU that confirms a connection
between Tanchon and Maybank, or authorization to inform FIU
that U.S. officials agree that the allegation is unfounded.
In view of our close working relationship with the FIU, and
the importance of this relationship to our counterterrorism
finance and money laundering cooperation with Malaysia, it is
essential that we provide solid evidence to support the
allegation, or clearly withdraw it.
LAFLEUR