Suara Rakyat Malaysia’s (Suaram) suit in a French court over the controversial Scorpene deal will soon enter the full trial stage, which could see top government officials, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, being asked to testify.
Suaram leaders told a press conference today that its December 2009 suit against DCNS, the French makers of the Scorpene submarine, was nearing the end of its inquiry stage and its lawyers in France were confident they had enough evidence to move into full trial.
Cynthia Gabriel, a Suaram director, announced that an application had already been filed in March this year to a French court for an instruction judge and if evidence was sufficient, the case would be brought for trial in open court.
The European-made Scorpene submarine is the first of two commissioned for a combined total of $961 mln
Malaysia's first submarine KD Tunku Abdul Rahman docked at Port Klang after its arrival this morning.
Malaysia's first submarine KD Tunku Abdul Rahman docked at Port Klang after its arrival this morning.
Malaysia's first ever submarine was delivered Thursday to colourful fanfare and a royal visitor, in an acquisition that the government said "completes" the country's navy.
The European-made Scorpene submarine is the first of two commissioned from French contractor DCNS and Spain's Navantia for a combined total of 3.4 billion ringgit (961 million dollars).
The second submarine is scheduled for delivery in late 2009.
The KD Tunku Abdul Rahman, named after the nation's first prime minister, sailed into a grand reception at the navy's deepwater Pulau Indah base in Port Klang, an hour's drive from the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysian King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin was given a tour of the submarine, which set sail 54 days ago from the French port of Toulon, where the vessel was built.
Naval officials said the submarine would be based in Sabah state, on Borneo island, where it will undergo fine-tuning before it is deployed in search and rescue and military exercises.
The two submarines have long attracted controversy since the deal was signed in 2002.
Malaysia's opposition claims that a 540-million-ringgit commission was paid to a close associate of now-Premier Najib Razak in brokering the deal.
The prime minister, who also attended Thursday's ceremony, has denied there was any corruption in the deal, which was made when he was defence minister.
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The first submarine, KD Tunku Abdul Rahman, is named after Malaysia's first prime minister.
Both submarines can undertake a wide range of missions, including naval blockades, information-gathering and landing or retrieval of commandos.
They can operate alone or in combination with air and sea forces.
The new generation diesel-powered Scorpene has been hailed as a benchmark in the world conventional submarine market.
It is capable of operating in coastal waters and the high seas. It is armed with wire-guided torpedoes and Exocet SM39 sub-launched, anti-surface-ship missiles.
Malaysia is the second customer for the vessel after Chile, while India is acquiring it under a slightly different deal since it is building it in its own dockyard under licence.
