Rafizi names 'big sharks', minister denies woman is his wife

PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli's hunt for “big sharks” involved in the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal has ensnared Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Latiff Ahmad via two offshore companies allegedly controlled by his second wife, Zainab Mohd Salleh.

Rafizi today cited LCS internal probe papers that purportedly named the companies - Alizes Marine and Alizes Marine Labuan - as well as millions in payments billed for services not rendered.

"Firstly these companies were appointed as technical consultants (when they do not have expertise) for the project.

"They sent invoices for work not carried out. A total of RM23.7 million was swindled from the LCS project in its early stages of execution from 2011 to 2014," claimed Rafizi.

"Secondly, Alizes Marine was also appointed as a spare parts supplier for the LCS project.

"The appointment was based on false information that the company purportedly possess a licence from the French government to be a global exporter of defence spare parts (when in actual fact it does not have a licence).

"The LCS project paid around RM210 million for spare parts supposedly supplied by a French (licenced) company but the payment was actually misappropriated to 'fake' companies set up in Malta and Labuan," he further claimed.

Rafizi said the companies' offshore status and Zainab were first leaked by whistleblowers involved in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers projects.

He also claimed that the purported connection between Latiff and Zainab was recorded in internal probe papers on the LCS scandal.

Rafizi said Latiff, now with Bersatu, was at the time an Umno deputy defence minister, while Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi led the ministry.

Minister vows full cooperation

However, Latiff in an immediate response, said Zainab is not his wife.

"Referring to media reports on the LCS project probe, I would like to stress that Zainab Mohd Salleh is not my wife as stated in the stories.

"As a cabinet minister, I'm prepared to give full cooperation should authorities wish to initiate further investigations," he said in a media statement.

Further, Rafizi claimed that there were various other forms of defence contracts made involving Latiff, Alizes Marine and a few other companies controlled by the minister and his second wife, aside from the LCS project.

"This is why from the very beginning I demanded an explanation from Zahid as the (then) defence minister who was responsible for changing the ship design from Sigma to Gowind, and Najib Abdul Razak was the finance minister and prime minister at the time.

"It is impossible that this embezzlement scheme involving projects managed by both of them (Najib and Zahid) could happen without their knowledge.

"I hope my revelation today shuts the mouths of Umno and BN who tried to blame the navy retirees when this scandal was first exposed," said the former Pandan MP.

Last week, a former high-ranking officer of Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor was charged with criminal breach of trust (CBT) at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

The 78-year-old accused is the former BNS managing director and vice-executive chairperson, charged with three counts of CBT involving RM21.08 million under Section 409 of the Penal Code.

Former BNS managing director Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor

BNS was the contractor tasked to build six LCS for the Royal Malaysian Navy through a direct contract awarded in 2011 and with a 2019 delivery deadline.

‘Small fry charged’

Rafizi, who yesterday described the retired navy general as a small fry, argued that the LCS scandal could not happen without the involvement of "masterminds" from among the Umno leadership who made big decisions at the time, while the retired navy personnel only "conspired to carry out the malpractices".

"I also hope that the leadership of Perikatan Nasional from Bersatu and PAS will start to realise that this LCS scandal will also drag them down because their senior leader, Latiff and his family are directly involved in fake companies that embezzled LCS project funds.

"I await the reactions of the leaders from Umno, PAS and Bersatu leadership who form today's federal government," he said.

Malaysiakini is also unable to verify the authenticity of the internal investigation report cited by Rafizi. - Mkini