The close confidant of PM Najib tops the list
of human rights group Suaram's potential witnesses to testify in the
French judicial probe.
PARIS:
Abdul Razak Baginda’s name topped human rights group Suaram’s list of
potential witnesses to testify at the French judicial probe into the
controversial Scorpene submarines deal.
The defence analyst, a close confidant of Prime Minister Najib Tun
Razak, was acquitted in abetting the murder of Mongolian national
Altantuya Shaariibuu, which had been linked to the submarines contract.
The Scorpene deal was inked during Najib’s tenure as defence
minister, and both the contract and Altantuya’s murder continue to haunt
him despite the premier denying any wrongdoing.
Yesterday, Judge Roger Le Loire heard the testimonies of three Suaram
members, Kua Kia Soong, Cynthia Gabriel and Fadiah Nadwa, at the
Tribunal de Grande Instance.
The hearing had been recorded and would be kept confidential.
Gabriel said, after the hearing, that Suaram’s complaint was linked to the outcome of the Altantuya case.
“The case didn’t give us any answer and no answer had been given to
Parliament on the suspected payment of a commission related to the
Scorpene deal.
“Our own anti-corruption commission (MACC) didn’t pursue the matter
and the Malaysian law is so strict on what is classified as Confidential
Defence that we can’t even see the contract,” she said.
As Suaram joined the proceedings as a civil party, the human rights
NGO, through its lawyers, would from now on work closely with the two
judges.
After Suaram’s complaint was motivated, Le Loire then posed questions to the trio based on the previous prosecutors’ inquiry.
The third part of the hearing was dedicated to the potential witnesses.
In naming Razak Baginda, Suaram said the former’s role should be
further investigated as he appeared to have a strategic position in the
deal.
In the press statement, Suaram revealed that the other potential
witnesses would be Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, private
investgator S Balasubramaniam and Altantuya’s father Setev Shariibuu.
Also to be called are Razak Baginda’s wife Mazlinda Makhzan and Lodin
Wok Kamarudin, both directors of Perimekar Sdn Bhd, one of the
companies named in the deal, and Jasbir Chahl, as one of the potential
middlemen of the deal.
For French lawyer Joseph Breham, who was also present at the hearing,
this was the first step of a promising inquiry that should be able to
shed light on the recipients of assumed kickbacks, in France or abroad.
Breham and two others, in representing Suaram, had filed the complaint in the Paris court regarding the deal.
Judge Le Loire is also known in France for covering the Karachi case
(a sale of submarines to Pakistan that ended up in the death of 11
French people).
Celine Boileau is a Paris-based freelance writer.
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