UPDATE 6 Malaysian authorities have deported French lawyer William Bourdon, who is acting on behalf of civil rights group Suaram in a high-profile "corruption" and "kickbacks" case involving Prime Minister Najib Razak over his purchase of two Scorpene submarines for the ministry of defense from arms giant DCN in the early 2000s.
Bourdon has flown back to Paris after being held for hours at the Immigration detention centre in the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where he was grilled and prevented from seeing anyone. He had flown in from Penang, where he had given a briefing on the Scorpenes case to a citizens group of about 600 on Thursday night ahead of open-court hearings in Paris in September.
"This is a very damaging move for the country's image. Najib has just told the world that he is guilty," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.
Another international black-eye
Bourdon was arrested while still inside the airplane cabin by immigation officials who boarded the moment it landed. "He will be deported on the 11.30 pm flight back to Paris on Friday," Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel had told Malaysia Chronicle.
As at press time, no reasons were given by the Malaysian authorities, but they had initially tried to detain him for three days till his return ticket falls due on Sunday.
"This is another self-inflicted blow by the Najib administration, reflecting other phobias - Scorpene submarines and Altantunya," DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said in an immediate response.
Indeed, the international bruising from the latest incident will only add to the growing conviction that Najib's days in power are numbered. But rather than accepting the calls to step down and paving a smooth path for his successor, he appears to be denial mode and has come out swinging wildly.
Two weeks, ago the Malaysian PM ordered one of the harshest ever crackdowns on a civilians rally for free and fair elections, wherein thousands were injured and one death caused. The high-handed move had alarmed first world leaders, who wondered if it signalled that Najib might go to the extent of installing a police state just to stay in power. The United Nations, United States have issued rebukes for the July 9 Bersih march crackdown, while the British Queen has also signalled her disapproval.
Long brewing
The Scorpenes scandal has long been brewing. From the time it was mooted by Najib, who was then the defense minister, there was public outcry over the deal with French arms vendor DCN, which was seen as excessively priced and the high-tech ships totally unsuitable for patrolling Malaysia's shallow coastline.
But Najib pushed through the RM7 billion deal in 2002 amid accusations that he was benefiting his cronies and despite clear evidence of a dubious 114 million euros side-deal granted to his close friend Razak Baginda.
The eldest son of Malaysia's second prime minister, the late Abdul Razak Hussein, Najib was able to convince his bosses, who were then ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad and to an extent Abdullah Badawi, who became Prime Minister in 2003. They allowed Najib to carry through with the deal and closed an eye to the dubious contract, allthough he was warned that this 'excavation' into public funds would have to be his last.
Hell broke loose in 2006
However, in 2006, all hell broke loose when the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a stunningly beautiful 28-year old Mongolian national, was discovered. Killed in a jungle clearing in Selangor state, lurid details of her downfall and how she died shocked and titillated Malaysians and world citizens.
At that time, no one could get enough news of how she was shot in the head and face, how she told her killers she was pregnant and how she had begged for mercy before they pulled the trigger, and then detonated her body with special military C4 explosives to prevent identification.
It turned out that the killers were two special squad police officers, who were also Najib's former bodyguards. Both men have been sentenced to hang but till now, the buring question remains, who ordered the killing?
Najbi was then the Deputy Prime Minister and still the defense minister. He was still on the political rise and protected by Mahathir who wanted him to take over from Badawi and then pass on the top seat to his own son, Mukhriz Mahathir.
Indeed, power in Malaysia's ruling party, UMNO, is basically confined to three families - Najib's, his cousin Hishammuddin's and Mahathir's. All others including Badawi, his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin and current Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin are appeased with seat-warmer terms. But real power will remain with the three families, thanks to the huge wealth they have hoarded through the years.
Have courage, Malaysians told
On Thursday night, Bourdon had confirmed to Penangites that the French authorities had approved Suaram's request for an investigative judge - a major step forward for their case to uncover the bribes allegedly paid by DCN to top Malaysian officials.
In his presentation on Thursday night, Bourdon did not give details of the latest evidence uncovered by the French police. He was expected to share more details in the second briefing, which is due to be held in Kuala Lumpur tonight and Petaling Jaya on Saturday night,
However, he had promised that Malaysians would get the "truth and justice" they sought. And as if sensing the danger ahead, he even told Malaysians to have courage.
"Despite many obstacles and although such proceedings are complex and difficult, the truth shall emerge in France and we will expose the corruption related to the submarine deal. We will reveal and disclose details on all the beneficiaries. I am confident in Malaysians to overcome difficulties and I wish you courage," William said.
New commissions and a VIP
In the runup to Scorpene briefings, the French lawyer had also said the identites of several 'new' people had been traced.
There was also evidence that a VIP had travelled Baginda and Altantuya to Macau. Speculation is rife that this person was Najib.
Such information would immediately debunk Najib's denials that he ever knew or met her. It could also pave the way for the re-opening of her murder trial, during which a clearly biased trial judge had forbidden questions on whether the two bodyguards had been paid or instructed to kill her. And by whom.
William, who is known for his activism work in the French legal circles, also said that more commission payments have been found. It is illegal in France for a firm to pay commission to anyone to secure a deal. And this why Suaram had lodged its complaint in Paris after failing to make the Malaysian authorities investigate the Scorpenes procurement despite years of trying.
If found guilty, DCN would have to reveal the amounts of illicit funds it paid out to win the Malaysian contract and also the identities of the people who received the kickbacks. This would obviously be very bad news for Najib, especially if the allegations about him deriving hundreds of millions in benefit from the deal are true.
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