KUALA LUMPUR, June 4: Malaysia hedged on Friday over whether it would allow a UN watchdog to question a detained agent involved in the nuclear black market scandal surrounding Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, whose son was embroiled in the scandal, told reporters the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was in talks with Malaysian security authorities over questioning the agent, Sri Lankan businessman B.S.A. Tahir.

But he would not say whether they would be given permission. "I do not want to give assurances of something which is a subject of discussion between the concerned authorities," he said. Abdullah said he would leave it to the Malaysian security authorities to decide. -AFP