Scorpene "not a serious matter": Minister must explain

Foreign Minister Dato Seri Anifah Aman is walking on thin ice when he says the Scorpene probe is "not a serious matter that we need to follow".

Firstly, he should tell us how much he knows about the probe and how he has come to know those details given the fact that Malaysia is not currently participating in the probe in France.

It is refreshing to hear that the Minister seems to know the issues in the probe. But his remarks don't add up.

On the one hand he says its not a serious matter that we need to follow. On the other hand, he says Malaysia will "make the necessary preparations to face the trial when they are needed".

With respect, the Minister must make up his mind. If Malaysia will participate, why are we not there to assist to begin with?

Perhaps the Minister should, and I call upon him to brief Parliament in detail over what the probe has revealed to date and to what extent evidence has been obtained and whether it reflects any wrongdoing on part of our officials in the said transaction.

The Minister must tell us why it is he thinks this is not a serious matter. It is a matter of public concern. He must give us reasons in full.

The Minister is also quoted as saying "so far we have not received any information from the French Embassy. But if necessary, we are ready to defend ourselves".

This defies logic. There is a probe which is on going which involves the nation. Surely we cannot just sit back and wait for the French Embassy to brief us?

The Attorney General should, as first legal officer, intervene. He should and must advise the Minister that the proper approach to take especially in a case like this where the country's reputation is at stake, is to take from the very outset, stock of the situation.

We should and must participate and have our own representatives defending us and regularly updating us as to the findings of the inquiry. We should be on top of things.

Anything short of this would appear to be an obviously negligent handling of the matter for which the government must in the end be fully prepared to account for.

Media statement by Gobind Singh Deo in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 12^th June 2012