PAC deputy chair: Let MACC probe Scorpene deal

 

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) deputy chairperson Azizah Mohd Dun has dismissed a call for her committee to probe the controversial Scorpene submarine deal.

She also turned down a suggestion by DAP's Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang for PAC to interrogate the two former police personnel who were convicted for the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Instead, Azizah said that the MACC is the right body to probe the submarine case.

"The case of Altantuya is a police case while the Scorpene case is under the jurisdiction of the MACC. The MACC should probe the case," she told Malaysiakini.

Yesterday, Lim suggested the PAC investigate the two cases following the French government charging Thales, a French company, for complicity in the bribery of the Scorpene submarine deal in Malaysia two decades ago.

He also said that PAC should consider interrogating the two former police personnel Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar, who were convicted for Altantuya’s murder.

Azilah is on death row while Sirul is seeking refuge in Australia.

Scorpene deal’s link to Altantuya

The DAP lawmaker added that the PAC can do so under Clause 77(d) of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order.

The PAC’s explicit mandate is to investigate matters concerning government finance. However, Altantuya was linked to at least one person involved in the procurement of the submarines.

Altantuya was murdered on Oct 18, 2006. When Sirul and Azilah were tried for her murder, it was revealed that Altantuya was having an affair with Abdul Razak Baginda, the owner of several companies involved in the Scorpene submarine deal.

Sirul Azhar Umar and Altantuya Shaariibu

Sirul and Azilah were both convicted in 2009 but freed by the Court of Appeal in 2013. Upon being freed, Sirul fled to Australia, where he is under detention.

The Federal Court later overturned the appeal and reinstated the conviction that carries the death sentence.

The duo continue to maintain their innocence.

Azilah attempted to seek a review of the Federal Court decision in 2019. In his statutory declaration, Azilah claimed he was given a “shoot-to-kill order” by then deputy prime minister Najib Abdul Razak on the grounds that Altantuya was a foreign spy.

Azilah’s application for the review was unsuccessful.

Interest in the submarine deal was renewed after it was confirmed that the French authorities have commenced formal investigations into Thales Group over kickback allegations in the 20-year-old deal. - Mkini