Scorpene case: French lawyers apply for work visa

French lawyers representing Suaram in the human rights group's suit against defence giant DCNS for alleged corruption involving top Malaysian officials will be coming to the country to brief their client about the case.

According to Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel (left), either Joseph Brehem or William Bourdon is planning to visit next week to discuss the case involving the RM7.3 billion purchase of two Scorpene-classs submarines by Malaysia in 2002.

The controversial case, which involved the alleged payment of illegal commissions amounting to 114 million euro (RM540 million), was recently heard and accepted by investigative judge Roger Le Loire in the Paris Tribunal Grande Instance.

"However, it all depends on whether they are able to enter the country," Gabriel told Malaysiakini in a telephone interview.

"After all, Bourdon was detained at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and deported at midnight last year after he spoke at a closed-door dinner talk in Penang," Gabriel reminded.

Alternative plan

The Immigration Department had then said that Bourdon - attached to Sherpa, a Paris-based non-profit legal outfit - was deported on July 22 last year for violating the conditions of his visit to Malaysia.

Bourdon (left) denied that he had abused his entry permit as he entered the country on a social visit pass.

This time, Gabriel said the lawyers are applying for a working visa to enter Malaysia despite the immigration requirement for them to require only a social visit pass.

The French lawyer, she added, is also planning to hold a press conference in Kuala Lumpur to provide an update on the case if he is allowed to enter the country.

While Gabriel is optimistic about the visit, she said Suaram has an alternative plan should the lawyer be barred from entering the country.

"We might have to go to them instead, but we are hopeful that the Malaysian authorities would somehow grant them their working visa," she said.

"After all, they are here to meet their client, and we have the right to meet them. There is nothing wrong in this," she added.

Press conference cancelled

Suaram had planned a press conference at its Kuala Lumpur office today, but it was put off due to "technical matters".

French court papers recently revealed that then-defence minister and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had sought US$1 billion (RM3 billion) for local company Perimekar from DCN's subsidiary DCNI.

Perimekar is owned by Najib's associate Abdul Razak Baginda, who was acquitted on a charge of abetting in the 2006 murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu without his defence being called.

Najib (right) has refused to comment but had denied involvement in the case, while Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he cannot be summoned to attend the hearing in Paris, reversing his previous offer to testify as a witness.