PKR has lent its voice to a call for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to explain how a company closely linked to him was found by French prosecutors to have ‘sold’ a secret navy document to a third party, in relation to Malaysia’s purchase of two Scorpene-class submarines.

NONE Deputy president Azmin Ali (centre in photo) pointed out that Najib was the defence minister at the time that the document was allegedly sold.

As such, Azmin said in a statement distributed at the party headquarters today, Najib should not allow the armed forces to take the fall for this.

"We urge that the prime minister not take this lightly and come forward himself to explain how state secrets can be sold by his own advisor...We hope that officers are not turned into scapegoats in this matter," he said.

He also urged the armed forces to launch an internal probe and to lodge a police report if it finds that its officers are not involved.

"The top leadership of the armed forces should lodge a police report to protect their image and credibility," he said.

He added that the sale of secret military documents is “treason and endangers the lives of military personnel”, particularly those who are operating the submarines.

Political interference in defence

Agreeing with Azmin, PKR's security committee head retired Brigadier-General Abdul Hadi Abdul Khattab said that there needs to be less political interference in defence.

“Based on my experience, I feel that one area which needs to be looked at is the interference and influence of ministers and political appointees (into defence which can) be detrimental to national defence.

“This is especially since defence is not their expertise. The minister's job is to set out defence policies and for the military to implement but the minister is now active in military affairs including purchase of arms,” he said.

Abdul Hadi, however, could not comment when asked if he had encountered similar cases of leaks of confidential military documents in his 35 years as an airforce personnel.

Lawyer for human rights NGO Suaram Joseph Breham last week said that French investigative judges probing the Malaysian purchase of Scorpene-class submarines found that Hong Kong-based Terasasi Ltd had allegedly sold confidential Royal Malaysian Navy documents to French defence contractor DCNS.

Terasasi is owned by Najib's close associate Abdul Razak Baginda, who now resides in the UK, and his father Abdul Malim Baginda.

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