Apco did work for Israel in the 90s
KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 — APCO’s denial that it ever did any work for the Israeli government has proven untrue as a Straits Times report revealed that filings with the US Justice Department show otherwise.
The international public relations firm “entered into an agreement in 1992 to provide services for the Jewish state.
“In written queries about the State Department filing, APCO said it worked with another associate company on a project for the Israel government at the time.”
APCO’s deputy managing director B. Jay Cooper said, “The work, which was primarily in the media area, involved acquiring US government money for Russian immigrants’ housing in Israel.”
Cooper went on to explain that APCO “was then owned by Grey Global Group.”
“In 2004, APCO did a management buy-out and cut all ownership ties with the Grey Global Group,” he said. “APCO Worldwide, with new ownership, is today’s company.”
APCO’s own public relations nightmare began when Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim alleged that the prime minister’s 1 Malaysia campaign was APCO’s idea and closely mirrors former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak’s One Israel campaign.
Anwar had suggested that One Israel was conceived by APCO.
The link, while tenuous, could weaken Malay support for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration.
So far, APCO and senior government officials have denied that it has any links with Israel.
But Anwar, speaking in Parliament yesterday, dropped another bombshell when he said that APCO’s link with the Malaysian government began well before 1 Malaysia.
Anwar also zeroed in on Asero Worldwide, an APCO associate, that specialises in homeland security and is headed by Israeli security experts.
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