SUARAM lodged a complaint with the French authorities in 2010 regarding alleged corruption/ bribery of Malaysian Officials pertaining to the Scorpene deal with DCNS. SUARAM continues to actively follow proceedings in France, which are ongoing. Recent developments in the French proceedings have seen the French Public Prosecutors make recommendations that 4 individuals (including one Malaysian) and 4 legal entities, are referred to the Criminal Court of Paris for trial.
Closer to home, SUARAM refers to developing investigations as published in the following news reports:
New Straits Times (25 April 2024) entitled ‘MACC says 22-year probe into Scorpene submarine case still ongoing’; and
Malay Mail (29 July 2024) entitled ‘MACC to summon four individuals next week for Scorpene submarine probe’.
The MACC is commended for its uncompromising stand on corruption, having unrelentingly pursued these investigations over the years. In view of the recent disclosure by the MACC of ‘new leads being discovered, focusing on the misappropriation of RM42 million’, we seek further disclosure of the current status of investigations.
It is hoped that the MACC will leave no stone unturned in the face of yet another scandal plaguing Malaysia. Thorough and decisive investigations are non-negotiable to maintain transparency and accountability. Public trust must never be eroded, nor the rule of law weakened.
Malaysia’s reputation is once again at stake and we call upon the Government of Malaysia, under the leadership of the Madani Government, to address allegations of corruption, potentially, implicating the integrity of the Malaysian Government. This Government must extend all cooperation necessary to facilitate ongoing investigations by authorities, locally or abroad, as a testament to its commitment to eradicate corruption at all costs. In this regard, it is fitting to revive the call by our current PMX as reported on 28 April 2022 in Malaysiakini and 28 April 2022 in The Malaysian Insight, wherein he is reported to have urged Putrajaya (then) to ramp up its probe into the Scorpene scandal, in line with the escalation of the French probe into the allegations of corruption in relation to the sale of submarines to Malaysia in 2002.
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