Friday 29 Mar 2024
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PETALING JAYA (Feb 12): The name of Mongolian interpreter Altantuya Shaariibuu, who was murdered in 2006, had appeared 'a number of times' in an after sale service contract of the Malaysian government's procurement of the French Scorpene submarine. 

Apoline Cagnat, a lawyer who assists in filing a corruption complaint at French Court for human rights group Suaram, said this indicated Altantuya was probably involved in the negotiations of the submarine deals.

"We know she came (to France); we understand that she had a part in translating things in this Scorpene discussions; her role in the discussions need to be clarified, but her name does come up," Cagnat said.

Meanwhile, anti-corruption organisation Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) executive director Cynthia Gabriel further explained that the Scorpene deal involves two contracts in total — one of the sale of the submarine and the other one is for after sale services.

"Her name does appear a number of times in the French prosecutor investigation for the second contract, her role might have been in the after sale service contract, but that needs further investigation. The French are actually not very keen on pursuing the Altantuya track, but more of the money trail, which led to possible bribery and corruption," she said.

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