 Coat of arms of Malaysia | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1960 (64 years ago) |
| Headquarters | Putrajaya, Malaysia |
| Employees | Classified (est. 300-1000) [1][2] |
| Annual budget | Classified |
| Parent department | Prime Minister's Department |
The Research Division of the Prime Minister's Department (Malay: Bahagian Penyelidikan Jabatan Perdana Menteri) is an agency within the Malaysian Prime Minister's Department.[3] According to a leaked US diplomatic cable dating back to 2006, the Research Division is actually the public name for the Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO), the country's main foreign intelligence agency.[4]
As Malaysia's national security covert intelligence agency, MEIO is estimated to have between 300 and 1000 agents, officers, and operatives around the world, with approximately half stationed abroad. Its offices are located in Putrajaya and Jalan Bellamy in Kuala Lumpur. [1][5]
In its operations, MEIO works with several other Malaysian government departments and agencies including the Special Branch, Malaysia Defence Intelligence Organisation, and National Security Council. MEIO has covert intelligence sources around the world and shares its information with the Prime Minister, the Malaysian Cabinet, and other agencies.
- ^ a b "Secretive agency has over 1,000 personnel worldwide". The Star. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ "'Spy agency' to be reinvented with new direction, chief". The Malaysian Insight. 15 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Prime Minister's Department - Government Directory". Prime Minister's Department. Archived from the original on 2013-02-24. Retrieved 2013-08-19.
- ^ "All in Good Faith? Proximity, Politicization and the Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation" (PDF). Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "'Spy agency' to be reinvented with new direction, chief". The Malaysian Insight. 15 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2024.