KUALA LUMPUR, March 4: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Thursday denied that the United States had put pressure on him after his son was embroiled in the international nuclear black market scandal.

Abdullah Badawi admitted that he met top US anti-proliferation official John Wolf on Tuesday - something his aides had refused to confirm - but said Mr Wolf simply wanted to congratulate him on becoming prime minister.

"He did not ask for strict controls," Mr Abdullah said when asked whether Mr Wolf had pressed for more stringent monitoring of exports. "He is aware we are already looking into it. Of course we need time, it is not something that can be easily resolved."

The premier was speaking at a news conference after meeting the supreme council of the ruling National Front coalition to finalize plans for elections expected by the end of the month.

The main opposition group, the Islamic Party, has seized on the nuclear issue as a campaign topic, claiming that a police report clearing a company owned by Mr Abdullah's son was a whitewash.

Mr Abdullah said he was not worried about the PAS attacks, saying the party had no other issues to capitalize on so had resorted to "character assassination" in an attempt to embarrass him.

"As far as I'm concerned we have done the best that we could," he said, adding that the police report would be sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency. -AFP