Scorpene submarine launched in France
Published: Oct 24, 2007 2:48 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
The first of two Scorpene-class submarines sold to Malaysia was inaugurated yesterday in the northern French port city of Cherbourg during a visit by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The first of two Scorpene-class submarines sold to Malaysia was inaugurated yesterday in the northern French port city of Cherbourg during a visit by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Designed by the French firm DCNS and Spain's Navantia, the Tunku Abdul Rahman will be formally delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy in early 2009 and the second submarine will follow at the end of that year.
Malaysia signed the deal to establish its first fleet of subs in June 2002.
With diesel-electric propulsion, the stealth Scorpene has a crew of 31 men capable of spending 45 days at sea.
The Scorpene, which is designed for coastal protection, costs between 300 and 350 million euros (RM1.4 to RM1.7 billion) each.
The purchase of the submarines have been embroiled in a controversy with former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim alleging the payment of hefty commissions for brokering the deal, which included prominent political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, who is a confidante of Najib.
Abdul Razak is currently in jail, charged with abetting in the high-profile murder of a Mongolian woman last year.
Contract worth half-billion ringgit
In April, the Defence Ministry issued a rare statement to refute claims that it paid a RM540 million commission to Abdul Razak.
"With regards to the procurement of the Scorpene submarines, the Defence Ministry wishes to assert that allegations that the government paid commission as much as RM540 million to Abdul Razak Baginda are totally baseless," it said.
The ministry also said it had negotiated directly with Scorpene manufacturers, France-based Armaris and Spain's Navantia, and had not paid any commission to a Malaysian firm called Perimekar.
However, Perimekar has a six-year contract worth 114.96 million euros (RM552.5 million) to provide support services for the submarines, the ministry said.
It said Perimekar was jointly owned by the Armed Forces Pension Fund, Malaysian-listed Boustead Holdings and private Malaysian firm KS Ombak Laut.
However, the opposition contended that Ombak Laut is linked to Abdul Razak.
Designed by the French firm DCNS and Spain's Navantia, the Tunku Abdul Rahman will be formally delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy in early 2009 and the second submarine will follow at the end of that year. Malaysia signed the deal to establish its first fleet of subs in June 2002.
With diesel-electric propulsion, the stealth Scorpene has a crew of 31 men capable of spending 45 days at sea.
The Scorpene, which is designed for coastal protection, costs between 300 and 350 million euros (RM1.4 to RM1.7 billion) each.
The purchase of the submarines have been embroiled in a controversy with former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim alleging the payment of hefty commissions for brokering the deal, which included prominent political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, who is a confidante of Najib. Abdul Razak is currently in jail, charged with abetting in the high-profile murder of a Mongolian woman last year.
Contract worth half-billion ringgit
In April, the Defence Ministry issued a rare statement to refute claims that it paid a RM540 million commission to Abdul Razak.
"With regards to the procurement of the Scorpene submarines, the Defence Ministry wishes to assert that allegations that the government paid commission as much as RM540 million to Abdul Razak Baginda are totally baseless," it said.
The ministry also said it had negotiated directly with Scorpene manufacturers, France-based Armaris and Spain's Navantia, and had not paid any commission to a Malaysian firm called Perimekar.
However, Perimekar has a six-year contract worth 114.96 million euros (RM552.5 million) to provide support services for the submarines, the ministry said.
It said Perimekar was jointly owned by the Armed Forces Pension Fund, Malaysian-listed Boustead Holdings and private Malaysian firm KS Ombak Laut.
However, the opposition contended that Ombak Laut is linked to Abdul Razak.
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