US$1b submarine deal: ‘Claim has no logic’

An Umno leader says it does not make sense for the prime minister to ask for US$1 billion to set up a meeting for the Scorpene deal.

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no logic in Suaram’s claim that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak sought US$1 billion (RM3 billion) for a meeting between French company DCNI and him in 2001 for the Scorpene submarine deal.

Pokok Sena Umno division secretary Ramli Idrus said the amount was too much to believe given the fact that the deal inked in 2002 was for US$1 billion.

“I cannot imagine any businessman could give away the amount when the deal is the same amount.

“Then where is the profit? It is just unbelievable. Even a school boy will know that a company would not give away all its profit just to clinch a deal. If this happens, the company will be running at a loss,” he said.

At a press conference yesterday Suaram – which is the complainant in an ongoing French judicial probe into the controversial Scorpene submarine deal – revealed contents from investigation papers which were made available to the NGO.

Suaram claimed the sum was said to be for Perimekar Sdn Bhd’s “stay in France”, adding this was revealed in the contents from investigation papers made available to them.

Suaram secretariat member Cynthia Gabriel said the matter was revealed in a note faxed from a representative from Thales International Asia (which brokered the deal on behalf of arms manufacturer DCNS – the parent company of DCNI – with Perimekar and the Malaysian government), Francois Dupont, to his bosses.

In the note, entitled “Malaysia/Submarine Project”, Dupont indicated that a meeting with Najib on July 14, 2001 would take place with the “US$1 billion condition”, but it was not known if the meeting transpired.

Smear attempt

Rebutting the allegation, Ramli said any layman would not believe such a thing as the amount of the deal is just as much as the amount requested.

“It’s way beyond logic. Moreover, it is a well known fact and written in newspapers that the deal was RM3.4 billion and not RM7.3 billion as alleged.

“Moreover, Suaram representatives that gave the press conference did not show or give out the copies of the investigation papers to reporters as evidence.

“I see the whole thing as another attempt to smear Najib and Barisan Nasional given that the general election is around the corner,” he added.

He said opposition’s attempts to smear Najib in the coming general election is visible as he is going all out to regain lost ground in Pakatan Rakyat-led states, particularly Selangor and Perak.

Najib seems to be alone in the campaign as other leaders of the coalition parties and Umno leaders are just following him from afar, not wanting to “put their heads out”.

Observers believed these leaders were acting in such a manner so as not to expose any skeletons in their cupboard, if any.

After what had happened to Sharizat Abdul Jalil and Shafie Apdal, BN leaders fear that they may be singled out for attack if they emerge strongly.

In the absence of these leaders as targets, Najib is the only target the opposition could pick on to destabilise BN.

“It is game of perception…in this case, the opposition has won in creating doubts on Najib’s credibility even if it is not the truth ,” said Ramli.