Latiff should sue me if I’m wrong, Rafizi hits back

PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has retaliated against Abdul Latiff Ahmad, saying that the latter should sue him if he had wrongly implicated the minister’s alleged wife in the controversial littoral combat ship (LCS) project.

In a statement today, Rafizi (right) maintained that Zainab Mohd Salleh was the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) second wife, and that she controlled offshore companies appointed as project consultants for the LCS project.

“He (Latiff) did not counter the facts that have been shared with the rakyat so far, such as the LCS forensic report naming Zainab as his wife and as the individual who controlled the fake company Alizes Marine, which got contracts to supply spare parts amounting to RM210 million.

“The forensic report also named another company Mega P Asia Sdn Bhd, controlled by Zainab, that got sea defence contracts.

“Mega P Asia was established by Latiff. It is jointly owned by Zainab and himself,” he said.

The PKR leader said this after Latiff took to Facebook to deny links to the LCS scandal as well as having marital ties with anyone named “Zainab binti Salleh”.

Latiff added that none of his family members was also involved in the supply and construction of the LCS project.

On that note, Rafizi alleged that by denying the matter, Latiff was accusing the auditor who worked on the forensic report of lying.

The former Pandan MP added that Latiff’s denial was also akin to accusing the Malaysian Companies Commission (SSM) of lying, as the latter’s records show the minister and Zainab co-owning Mega P Asia.

‘Weak rebuttal from Latiff’

“If Latiff has nothing to do with Zainab, and he or his family is not involved with the LCS project contracts or the national sea defence, he must take legal action against BHIC, Alliance IFA (M) Sdn Bhd and me,” Rafizi said.

The 2019 forensic audit was ordered by Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd (BHIC) and was undertaken by Alliance IFA. It is the second of two audit reports that the cabinet had ordered to be declassified on Aug 10.

Rafizi then said issuing mere denials without providing evidence to back it up was a common tactic used by current and former Umno leaders, who are now in Bersatu.

He cited the example of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s links to the 1MDB and SRC International Sdn Bhd scandals.

“When the SRC International and 1MDB scandals were first exposed, Najib flatly denied that money went into his personal account.

“But when it was proven, then he said the money was a donation from Arab tycoons. After investigations, it was found that the money came from the people's pension fund.

“For that reason, the rakyat can no longer believe empty denials made by Umno and Bersatu ministers,” he said.

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