KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30: The United States embassy in the Malaysian capital was shut down on Friday due to an unspecified security threat and the police presence around the building was beefed up, officials said.

“The embassy will close effective today ... until further notice due to a security threat to the embassy,” the embassy said in a statement.

US embassy spokeswoman Kathryn Taylor said the mission, which is on a main thoroughfare in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, was closed at 11:40 am (03:40 GMT) but would not specify the nature of the threat.

“Unfortunately I can’t say at this time because it’s something we’re actively looking to,” she said.—AFP