Zahid: AG confirms legitimacy of Scorpene purchase

(Bernama) – Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Auditor-General has already explained that the purchase of Scorpene submarines was made according to legal procedures and his official report must be accepted by all quarters.

In response to the opposition’s plan to bring in a French lawyer, William Bourdon, to brief the Malaysian lawmakers on court proceedings in France on the purchase of the submarines, Ahmad Zahid (picture) hopes no quarters would twist the existing facts on the matter.

He was also of the opinion that the lawyer was invited to Malaysia by the opposition merely with political motive and not so much for legal business.

Ahmad Zahid said this to reporters after opening the Sekolah Agama Rakyat Al-Ulum Al Tarbiah’s Sports Day in Kampung Tanah Lalang here today.

The purchase of the submarines should be seen from the aspects of an offset programme, training, and performance assurance for certain period of time, he said, adding that it was really an old issue brought up to create public anger and confusion.

On the request for the government to pay a monthly allowance of RM500 to army veteran who served during the emergency era, Ahmad Zahid said it was up to the prime minister to decide according to the government’s financial ability.

“It is quite difficult for the government to meet the request, but we have to be grateful that during the tabling of the 2013 budget the government had announced the one-off payment of RM1,000 for the army veterans as a token of appreciation for their contribution during the emergency era,” he added.