French Scorpene probe extends to Bala's SD2

The French judicial inquiry into alleged corruption involving the sale of two Scorpene submarines to Malaysia, has extended to the conflicting statutory declarations of private eye P Balasubramaniam on the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The French court asked for the contact details of the lawyers involved in the second statutory declaration and has since contacted them, according to human rights NGO Suaram.

“We don't know what transpired between them. But one of the lawyers will be at the (upcoming Suaram fundraising) dinner," Ops Scorpene coordinator Peter Chong (left) told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said the lawyer involved - described as a "friendly" party to Suaram - will reveal what the French judges want to know.

The two lawyers were allegedly involved in the events surrounding the second statutory declarations.

One of them represented Bala, while the other acted for parties who had allegedly paid the private investigator to revoke his initial statutory declaration on a ‘cover up’ of Altantuya’s murder.

The dinner, scheduled for July 19 in Petaling Jaya, seeks to raise funds for Suaram to continue pursuing the Scorpene inquiry which began after the NGO filed the complaint.

Suaram is seeking raise about RM240,000 to pay the fees of the French lawyers it has engaged, as well as to cover other expenses such as translation services. 

At the dinner, details of recent findings will be revealed including the money trail to Hong Kong, where money were supposedly paid to companies with alleged links to Malaysians in powerful positions.

Also at the press conference were Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel and executive director E Nalini.