Dokumen rahsia Scorpene bakal didedahkan di Mahkamah Perancis...

Dokumen berkaitan pembelian kapal selam Scorpene, yang  diklasifikasi di bawah Akta Rahsia Rasmi (OSA) akan didedahkan pada inkuiri terbuka di Mahkamah Pengadilan Tinggi Perancis (Tribunal de Grande Instance) kata Pengarah Suaram, Cynthia Gabriel.

“Kedua-dua pihak (kerajaan Malaysia dan firma pertahanan Perancis DCNS) mempunyai dokumen sama. Bezanya, Malaysia klasifikasikan dokumen itu sebagai Akta Rahsia Rasmi.

“Berbanding Perancis, mahkamahnya boleh mengeluarkan perintah agar pihak berkaitan membuat pendedahan,” kata Cynthia pada sidang media di Dewan Perhimpunan Cina KL-Selangor (KLSCAH), hari ini.

Syarikat DCNS, yang membekalkan dua kapal selam itu sebelum ini didakwa membayar sogokan jutaan ringgit kepada pegawai tertinggi Malaysia.

Urusniaga berharga RM7.1 bilion itu dibuat  ketika Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak menjadi menteri pertahanan dan dikaitkan dengan Abdul Razak Baginda, kenalan rapat Najib yang mendapat komisen bernilai RM540 juta melalui syarikat Perimekar Sdn Bhd.

Di bawah undang-undang Perancis, pembelian kelengkapan ketenteraan yang melibatkan bayaran komisen adalah menjadi satu kesalahan.

Menurut Cynthia, beliau mendapat makluman persediaan mahkamah dari peguam Suaram, William Bourdon dan Joseph Breham, 16 Mac lalu.

Tambah beliau, dua hakim penyiasat yang mengendalikan kes tersebut ialah Roger L Roire dan Serge Tounaire.

“Nama-nama yang sebelum ini tak pernah didengari akan didedahkan,” tambah beliau namun enggan membuat spekulasi atau mendedahkan individu terbabit sebagai mematuhi  prosedur mahkamah.

“Sebagai pengadu, Suaram kini punyai akses penuh kepada laporan siasatan pendakwaraya dan polis Perancis. Besar beza prosedur dan ketelusan siasatan antara Malaysia dan Perancis,” katanya.

Pada sidang media sama, Ahli Parlimen Subang, Sivarasa Rasiah memberikan komitmen untuk membawa isu tersebut ke Dewan Rakyat pada minggu hadapan.

“Telah 10 tahun sejak 2002, kes ini tergantung. Kerajaan Malaysia wajar berikan kerjasama penuh, bukannya menghalang siasatan dibuat,” tegasnya. - keadilandaily

Scorpene subs case to open in France...

Kuala Lumpur-based human rights NGO Suaram's case against giant French shipbuilder DCNS will finally go to court after a three-year hiatus. Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel confirmed that the case will be heard in the Paris courts, but will only reveal further details at a press conference tomorrow.


"The moment has arrived. The case is opening in France. We are very excited about it," she told Malaysiakini, when contacted.

It was delayed by political developments in both France and Malaysia, given the high-profile nature of the case.

The French company which had supplied two Scorpene submarines to Malaysia, has been accused of paying millions of ringgit in kickbacks to top Malaysian officials involved in the purchase.

Under French law, such payment or commission is deemed illegal.

Involving the RM7.3 billion purchase of two Scorpene-class submarines in 2002 by the Malaysian government, the scandal took place when Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (above) was defence minister.

Polls, pride, come in way

Cynthia (left) said the case had been held back earlier as both countries faced the likelihood of elections, and the stakes were high for politicians allegedly involved in the procurement.

Suaram's lawyers had informed the NGO that part of the reason for the delay was the French public prosecutor's own objection to remove the case from his purview and move it up to the open courts.

William Bourdon and Joseph Brehem from Sherpa, a French NGO working on legal human rights issues, are lawyers for Suaram.


Cynthia had then also hinted at possible political interference when she said that after many weeks of uncertainty, this hurdle was overcome as the public prosecutor had withdrawn his objection, allowing the court proceedings to commence.

"We had received unverified information of possible interference in the public prosecutor's findings.

"We were informed but could not verify, that efforts were being made to delay the case until after the French general election, expected to be held in the middle of this year," she said.- malaysiakini

cheers.