They also grilled the government on the billions of ringgit Najib lavished on two Scorpene submarines that many naval experts say are actually unsuitable for guarding Malaysia’s coastline.
“The latest official statistics show the cost of the two Scorpenes has not been fully tabulated or properly revealed to the public. In fact, the full cost of the purchases and their maintenance seems to be ever inflating. The previous estimate was RM5 billion, it is now RM6.7 billion and this does not include the maintenance fees yet,” Batu MP Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.
“Yet the government refuses to acknowledge this white elephant and tells the people not to overspend. No wonder the Najib administration has to cut subsidies. In the end, the ordinary folk will have to pay for equipment the Navy does not need and also for the kickbacks to corrupt officials.”
Based on figures supplied to Tian by Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, total costs excluding annual maintenance works out to 1.34 billion euros or about RM6.7 billion. This breaks down to 969 million euros for the two submarines, 219 million euros for missiles, 38 million euros for miscellaneous equipment and 114 million euros for commission paid to Perimekar. Maintenance fees were initially agreed at RM600 million for six years or RM100 million per year. However, this was later increased to RM270 million per year.
A complex tale of greed, sex and murder
Altantuya and the Scorpene submarines are inter-related because the murdered Mongolian translator had acted as a go-between in the 2002 deal struck between French vendors DCNS and Thales and the Malaysian defense ministry. Najib was the defence minister who had sanctioned the deal at that time.
The beautiful 28-year old Altantuya is believed to have been shot because she threatened to blow the whistle on Razak Baginda, another close associate of Najib’s.
Baginda's firm Perimekar received commission of 114 million euros or about RM570 million from the purchase. Altanutya's body was also blown to bits with military-grade C4 explosives in a jungle clearing in Malaysia in 2006 to avoid identification.
Speculation has also been rife that she was sexually involved with both Najib and Baginda. Najib has denied ever knowing her, while Baginda has admitted they were lovers.
In came Nasir Safar, tripped by his racist comments
Nasir Safar, a long-time special aide to Najib, hit the headlines earlier this year when he was pulled up for making racist remarks, calling Malaysian Indians beggars and Malaysian Chinese prostitutes.
Nasir got into even hotter soup when when top blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin revealed that he was the man in a Proton car parked in front of Baginda’s house on the night Altantuya was murdered. It immediately sparked speculation that Najib had sent him to keep watch over an increasingly restless Altantuya.
Raja Petra’s claim has been backed up by a private investigator, P Balasubramaniam, who was on the scene and had recognized Nasir. Fearful for his personal safety and that of his family's, Bala fled the country and is now living in London. However, he has offered to help the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigate the case provided they interviewed him there.
“My question to Hishammuddin was simple. Is it true Nasir Safar was in the Proton car parked in front of Razak Baginda’s house just before Najib’s former bodyguards took her away to be killed,” PKR Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah told Malaysia Chronicle.
“But Hisham would only answer that police investigations showed Nasir was not involved in Altantuya’s murder. He refused to answer my question directly. Why? The whole world knows that the two former bodyguards had no motive to kill Altantuya. They were just the gun. Who gave the signal to pull the trigger?”
Afraid of what Bala may reveal
Two elite cops, who were once part of Najib's security detail, have been sentenced to hang for the murder. Both men insist they were not guilty, they did not know her and had no motive to kill her. Razak Baginda, who was also charged for abetting the murder, has however been acquitted.
Undaunted by the government's stonewalling, Sivarasa has promised to keep raising the matter in Parliament until the the truth came out.
"I challenge the government to send a team of police and MACC officers to meet Balasubramaniam in London," Sivarasa said.
"If they are serious about finding out the answers - not just on who killed Altanutya but also on the massive corruption behind the purchase of the Scorpenes - they will not hesitate to fly to London and take his statement. But the thing is - are they afraid of what Bala will reveal in the interview."
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