Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says that DAP and Suaram exploited the human rights lawyer for their own interests.
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is now claiming that French human rights lawyer William Bourdon was exploited by Suaram and the DAP for its own ends.
Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Bourdon, who was deported for visa violation last Friday, was “utilised and “victimised” by Suaram director and former DAP MP Dr Kua Kia Soong.
Kua initiated the legal action to probe into RM7 billion Scorpene submarine deal between French company DCNS and the Malaysian government. The deal is said to be linked to the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
“He is being utilised and victimised by the DAP, Dr Kua and Suaram,” Ahmad Zahid said after officiating the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Agreement between Perhebat (Ex-Servicemen’s Affairs Corporation) and six other private companies here at the Defence Ministry.
Pakatan Rakyat claimed the Najib administration had deported Bourdon out of fear that other multi-billion ringgit defence contracts will come under scrutiny..
Ahmad Zahid, however, shrugged off the allegation and said Bourdon had no right to bring the case, which will soon enter full trial in Paris, to Malaysia.
“Ask him to ask himself whether he got the right to defend the case here. If he would like to defend his case, do it in France, not here,” he said when asked if he agreed with the deportation of Bourdon.
Ahmad Zahid’s remarks followed Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein’s comment on the matter earlier today.
No political motive
Hishammuddin said that there was no political agenda in the deportation of Bourdon. The minister said he was deported due to “visa non-compliance” and for making a speech in Penang.
“It’s due to a visa violation. There are certain things tourists cannot do. I don’t know what it is, but one cannot give a speech,” he told reporters today.
Hishammuddin also denied that Bourdon’s deportation had any political agenda behind it.
“People get deported everyday, but people have selectively chosen this case to say that it is political,” he said.
The French lawyer was held by immigration officers when he landed in Sepang from Penang on July 22 just after he spoke on the progress of the Scorpene case at a fundraiser organised by Suaram. He was scheduled to speak at another event on the day he was arrested.
Suaram had filed a suit with the French courts – which will be heard on December 9 – in a bid to declassify information on government contracts signed with a Malaysian company as well as other related information which have been classified as official secrets.
Perimekar Sdn Bhd, owned by Abdul Razak Baginda, a close associate of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, was said to have received close to RM500 million in commissions from the Scorpene deal.
Najib, who may be called upon to testify before the French court, was the defence minister at the time.
Kua: No one can ‘use’ Bourdon
When contacted, Kua laughed off the Defence Minister’s comments, saying that Bourdon was a person of high calibre who would not allow himself to be used by any party.
“How do you victimise a person? Bourdon is a world famous human rights lawyer. He is a person of calibre who will not allow anyone to ‘victimise or utilise’ him,” he told FMT.
As for the minister’s argument that Bourdon should have defended his case in France and not here, Kua explained that Bourdon was not in Malaysia to defend his case.
“I think he has no hope in the Malaysian judicial system. He is our lawyer employed by us. He has taken up the case in France and his main work is there,
“He was merely here to inform us, his clients, of the progress of the case,” he added.
Kua said that under the international law, Bourdon has the right to report to his clients and by violating that right, Malaysia has put itself in a very bad light in the eyes of the international community.
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