Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim is in Paris and will meet the lawyers acting for both SUARAM and DCNS in the Scorpenes corruption trial. He is due to formally invite them to come to Malaysia and brief Parliament on the latest status of the case.
"Anwar flew off last night to Paris to attend a seminar. While he is there, he will also meet the lawyers from both sides of the case and ask them to update us all on the latest progress. Yes, he will formally present them with a letter of invitation," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.
"We hope Prime Minister Najib Razak will take note that the Scorpenes deal involves RM7.3 billion of the public's money and is of great concern to the whole nation. We would advise him not to deport the lawyers should they accept the invitation from the Leader of the Malaysian Opposition. If Najib is foolish enough to do that, it would be most disgraceful and straightaway tell the world that he and UMNO have got a terrible secret they are desperate to hide from everyone."
Anwar is expected to issue a press statement or may hold a media conference on his meeting with the lawyers later on Wednesday.
Major breakthrough: 1st subpoena served!
Meanwhile, despite enormous pressure from the Najib administration, Malaysian NGO SUARAM has gone ahead to serve a subpoena on one of the witnesses in the French trial.
SUARAM director Cynthia Gabriel confirmed their lawyers had finally succeeded in serving the summons but declined to identify the recipient.
However, speculation is rife it was Jasbir Singh Chahl, who was allegedly the right-hand man to Razak Baginda in his family-controlled firm Perimekar. Baginda, who was Najib's close aide and negotiator, had allegedly acted as his proxy in receiving an illegal kickback from DCNS, the submarines vendor, amounting to at least 114 million euros.
"The inquiry is progressing and we've been allowed to tell you that the first subpoena has reached the first witness. But I can't tell you who the witness is or when the subpoena was given. For now, we have to follow the court proceedings and can only quote the court notes," Cynthia had told a forum in Petaling Jaya last night.
Maybe Najib himself, Zahid or Baginda!
Whether or not it is really Jasbir, the subpoena is a major breakthrough. There are many high-profile witnesses due to take the stand in Paris, including Najib himself, Razak Baginda and current Defense minister Zahid Hamidi.
Najib, who was the Defense minister in 2002, had hammered through the purchase despite huge public outcry that the submarines were too expensive and not suitable for Malaysia's shallow coastline. Despite years of lobbying for a full audit, SUARAM failed to get any response from the Umno-controlled federal government.
In 2010, as similar accusations of corruption against DCNS erupted in Taiwan and Pakistan, SUARAM decided to file a complaint in France, where it is illegal for anyone to offer illicit commissions or kickbacks to induce a deal.
If found guilty, DCNS may have to compensate the Malaysian people for the over-pricing caused by the alleged illegal commission paid to Najib and his Umno party.
Najib has denied all wrongdoing but in 2011, he deported William Bourdon, the renowned French human rights lawyer acting for SUARAM when the latter flew into Malaysia to brief his client. Earlier this year, SUARAM's legal team were forced to meet their client in Bangkok amid concerns of similar harassment by the Malaysian authorities.
Malaysia Chronicle
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