KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian anti-graft authorities have reopened investigations into a contentious submarine deal 16 years ago involving former prime minister Najib Razak, the latest corruption probe facing the embattled Najib.
Since losing a May election, Najib has been charged with multiple criminal offenses and has been subject to corruption investigations, some linked to a multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Najib has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Investigators with the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) are now also looking at whether there had been any kickbacks in the sale of two Scorpene-class submarines to Malaysia by French warship builder DCN International (DCNI) in 2002, when Najib was defense minister, according to local daily The Star citing MACC sources.
One source cited by The Star said Najib was summoned to give a statement on the submarine deal on Monday and that investigators will be taking statements from others, including Najib’s former aide, Abdul Razak Baginda, who is being investigated by French financial prosecutors over the deal.
DCNI later became a new entity called DCNS, which in turn rebranded itself as Naval Group last year. French defense company Thales owns around a third of Naval Group.
French authorities began investigating the deal after Malaysian human rights group Suaram alleged the sale resulted in some $130 million of commissions being paid to a company linked to Najib.
Last August, French prosecutors said they had placed two former executives at Thales and DCNS under preliminary investigation as part of a probe into the 2002 submarine sale.
A spokesman from Thales declined to comment at the time.
A spokesman for Naval Group also declined to comment but added: “We scrupulously respect all the relevant national and international legislations”.
Earlier investigations by Malaysian authorities did not find any evidence linking Najib directly to corruption in the deal.
Najib’s aides did not respond immediately to requests for comment. Najib and his supporters have consistently denied any wrongdoing in the submarine deal.
The 1MDB scandal was one of the major reasons for Najib’s election defeat. The fund is the subject of corruption and money-laundering investigations in at least six countries.
US authorities say $4.5 billion was siphoned from 1MDB and about $700 million was diverted into Najib’s personal bank accounts. He has denied any wrongdoing.
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Malaysia reopens submarine probe, questions former PM Najib
Malaysia reopens submarine probe, questions former PM Najib
- Earlier investigations by Malaysian authorities did not find any evidence linking Najib directly to corruption in the deal
Pakistanis fleeing Iran describe strikes shaking ground under their feet
QUETTA: Pakistanis fleeing Iran described explosions and missile strikes across Tehran shaking the ground under their feet and engulfing buildings in fire and smoke in a city emptied of many of its residents. The conflict has widened sharply, with a US submarine sinking an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka on Wednesday and NATO air defenses destroying an Iranian missile fired toward Turkiye.
Governments have been scrambling to evacuate stranded citizens, with most of the region’s airspace closed due to the risk of missiles hitting passenger planes.
“I was in the classroom when a powerful explosion rocked our university building,” Hareem Zahra, 23, a student at the Tehran University of Engineering, told Reuters after crossing Pakistan’s land border with Iran.
“We saw thick smoke coming from many buildings on fire,” she said, adding Tehran was under attack until the moment she left.
TEHRAN LOOKED DESERTED
Nearly 1,000 students, businessmen and pilgrims have fled Iran since the war started out of a total 35,000 Pakistanis in the country, Mudassir Tipu, Pakistan’s ambassador to Tehran, said.
“There are now serious challenges. As you know there is no Internet in most parts of Iran,” he said. Iran has retaliated with a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting Israel and Washington’s allies in the Gulf, including Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, following US and Israeli air strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.
Tehran has looked deserted since the conflict began, said Nadir Abbas, 25, a student of Persian literature at a university in the Iranian capital.
“I saw a drone hit a basketball court where six girl players lost their lives.”
Reuters could not verify his account.
’DESTRUCTION EVERYWHERE’ Islamabad is walking a diplomatic tightrope as it attempts to maintain warming ties with Washington while expressing solidarity with Iran.
Pakistan is home to the second-largest Shiite population in the world after Iran and being drawn into the conflict could lead to instability at home as well as complications evacuating its citizens.
“The first attack happened right next to my hospital,” said Sakhi Aun Mohammad, a student at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. After he reached the border, an Iranian friend called to check if he was safe, saying: “’Thank God, you have gone to Pakistan, all of you are safe, but your hostel has been attacked’.” A Pakistani diplomat who is still in Tehran said attacks took place every four or five hours, adding one missile struck a building next to his office. “At times you will feel as if something exploded right at your feet,” he said. “The last time I got out was at night. Buildings had collapsed, some others were on fire. There is destruction everywhere.”
He added: “It is almost like a ghost town.”
Governments have been scrambling to evacuate stranded citizens, with most of the region’s airspace closed due to the risk of missiles hitting passenger planes.
“I was in the classroom when a powerful explosion rocked our university building,” Hareem Zahra, 23, a student at the Tehran University of Engineering, told Reuters after crossing Pakistan’s land border with Iran.
“We saw thick smoke coming from many buildings on fire,” she said, adding Tehran was under attack until the moment she left.
TEHRAN LOOKED DESERTED
Nearly 1,000 students, businessmen and pilgrims have fled Iran since the war started out of a total 35,000 Pakistanis in the country, Mudassir Tipu, Pakistan’s ambassador to Tehran, said.
“There are now serious challenges. As you know there is no Internet in most parts of Iran,” he said. Iran has retaliated with a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting Israel and Washington’s allies in the Gulf, including Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, following US and Israeli air strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.
Tehran has looked deserted since the conflict began, said Nadir Abbas, 25, a student of Persian literature at a university in the Iranian capital.
“I saw a drone hit a basketball court where six girl players lost their lives.”
Reuters could not verify his account.
’DESTRUCTION EVERYWHERE’ Islamabad is walking a diplomatic tightrope as it attempts to maintain warming ties with Washington while expressing solidarity with Iran.
Pakistan is home to the second-largest Shiite population in the world after Iran and being drawn into the conflict could lead to instability at home as well as complications evacuating its citizens.
“The first attack happened right next to my hospital,” said Sakhi Aun Mohammad, a student at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. After he reached the border, an Iranian friend called to check if he was safe, saying: “’Thank God, you have gone to Pakistan, all of you are safe, but your hostel has been attacked’.” A Pakistani diplomat who is still in Tehran said attacks took place every four or five hours, adding one missile struck a building next to his office. “At times you will feel as if something exploded right at your feet,” he said. “The last time I got out was at night. Buildings had collapsed, some others were on fire. There is destruction everywhere.”
He added: “It is almost like a ghost town.”
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