Scorpenes cost exceed RM6.7bln, Nasir Safar question ignored
Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle
PKR lawmakers lambasted Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein for refusing to answer questions raised in Parliament regarding the involvement of Prime Minister Najib Razak’s former special aide, Nasir Safar, in the still-disputed Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case.
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 cut subsidies. In the end, the ordinary folk will have to pay for equipment the Navy does not need and also for the kickbacks paid 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 blown to bits with military-grade C4 explosives in a jungle clearing in Malaysia in 2006.
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.
