In a report published by Chinese-language Sin Chew Daily on March 8, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was quoted as saying that he is "not afraid of being accused of nepotism" over "his son's achievement in business".

According to the daily, Abdullah said the achievements of his only son Kamaluddin is "entirely the result of his hard work" and that he has never used his position to grant contracts or instructed others to do so.

The Cambridge-educated Kamaluddin, 36, was recently embroiled in an international controversy when one of his companies - Scomi Precision Engineering (Scope) - was accused by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and British Secret Intelligence Service (also known as Military Intelligence Section No 6 or MI6) of manufacturing and transporting uranium-enrichment centrifuge parts to Libya.

According to Western reports, the 25,000 units of centrifuge parts manufactured by Scope in a purpose-built factory in Shah Alam were intercepted by Western agents in the Mediterranean last October en route to Libya. At the time of interception, the units were loaded in five containers.

Later, Abdullah and the Malaysian police claimed that Scope and Kamaluddin did not know of the end-use of the parts which were said to be of "dual-use" or even "generic". They also claimed that Scope and Kamaluddin were "duped" or "deceived" by middleman, BSA Tahir.

Proud father

Meanwhile in the Sin Chew report, Abdullah also mentioned that he "feels proud of his son's business talents and capabilities".

Opposition leaders in Malaysia have been attacking Abdullah, the Malaysian police and Foreign Ministry of allegedly "whitewashing" and "abusing public powers" to protect the "private interests" of Kamaluddin and his companies.

Abdullah is also the home minister, who overseas the police.

Dissatisfied opposition leaders also called for the "re-opening" of investigation into the business activities and networks of Scomi and Scope.

Earlier on Feb 22, the Umno-controlled Malay newspaper Utusan Malaysia reported that Kamaluddin is the 32nd richest man in Malaysia with assets totaling RM320.13 million in value.

Also, according to a recent edition of opposition party PAS' official organ Harakah, Scomi was listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) in May 2003, "after his (Kamaluddin's) father was confirmed to be the next prime minister to assume office in October 2003".

Harakah also reported that in September 2003, the unit price of Scomi's shares "shot up" to RM 8.70 from its Initial Public Offering at RM 1.30 in May, a 530 percent increase within four months.

'Potentially explosive'

A political analyst observed that the issue is "potentially explosive" and it is like "cluster bomb" because it is "multi-dimensional".

She said, besides the contention between Malaysia on one hand, and the international community and neighbouring countries on the other, on the enforcement of nuclear non-proliferation, the general election in Malaysia would "almost certainly" ensure that the controversy of the wealth and businesses of the premier's son will be made "hot" on the ground in the campaigning period.

Malaysia's Parliament and State Assemblies have been dissolved, paving the way for the 11th general election. The nomination and polling days fall on March 13 and 21 respectively.

The analyst said there may also be "room for more fireworks" in the coming party elections in Abdullah's "faction-ridden" Umno due in June when the issue could be "exploited" by groups and personalities allied with different interests.

Another academic observer of Malaysian and Umno politics opines that, while the issue may be used by the opposition to show that Abdullah is not "sincere" in providing a role model for "a transparent government", those within Umno and Barisan Nasional who oppose his anti-corruption drive may also "exploit" it to slow down or "blunt" his purported reforms.