KUALA LUMPUR: No commission payments were made directly or indirectly to any company for the purchase of the Scorpene submarines by Malaysia or sale of classified documents connected to the deal, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“The procurement of the submarines were made via direct negotiations in line with the guidelines of government procurement and French and Spanish manufacturers, with the agreement of the respective governments,” he said.
He said the ministry did not have any information on the allegations of documents claimed to be classified by Hong Kong-based company Terasasi to Thint Asia (Thales International) for the alleged sum of 36mil (RM143.6mil).
Zahid said Malaysia had been made to understand that there was no trail in France over the submarine issue and as such would not apply to be observers for the “Tribunal deGrande Istance”, the French court.
He also said that there was no need for the setting up of an independent commission to probe the purchase of the vessels as it was done in accordance with procedures.
He said that there was no need for the establishment of a Parliamentary Permanent Select Committee for Defence as plans for the procurement formed part of the Budget tabled and passed in Parliament.
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