DPM's lips stitched tight on leaked Navy papers

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today yet again refused to field questions on the French probe into the Malaysian Scorpene submarine purchase.

Asked what the government would do about claims that French prosecutors found that confidential Malaysian Navy documents had been marketed, his instant response was said: "No comment."

He repeated the same when asked if the government would still keep mum despite the matter possibly implicating Prime Minister and then-defence minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Muhyiddin had the exact response when asked of the government's take on the civil suit in the French courts by local human rights NGO Suaram on May 17.

Suaram had filed a suit over alleged kickbacks from French defence contractor DCNS to Malaysian parties in the two submarine purchases.

Asked whether the government, which is implicated in the case, would be represented during the trial, Muhyiddin had said, " I don't want to comment on that."

Suaram's lawyer Joseph Breham recently revealed that French prosecutors found that a company closely-linked to Najib had sold confidential documents to DCNS.

The company, Hong Kong-based Terasasi Ltd belongs to Najib's associate Abdul Razak Baginda and the latter's father Abdul Malim Baginda.

Suaram also revealed that French investigators found a fax correspondence which indicate that Najib could have asked for USD 1 billion for another company owned by Abdul Razak, Perimekar, for the duration of the company's stay in France.

This was allegedly in exchange for a meeting with Najib.

The PM has been silent on the matter while the Navy, too, have declined comment.