MINISTER in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad has once again denied his involvement in the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal and insisted that he does not have a wife named “Zainab Salleh”.
In a Facebook post today (Aug 26), Latiff stressed that he has no marital ties with anyone with the name “Zainab binti Salleh”.
“My wife or wives are not named Zainab binti Salleh. None of my family members is involved in the business of supply and construction of the LCS,” he said.
“As a representative from an island and sea area, Mersing, I enjoy eating fish but not sharks.”
On Tuesday (Aug 23) PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said that a woman who allegedly misappropriated funds for the RM9 bil LCS project – whom he identified as Zainab Mohd Salleh – was Latiff’s second wife.
The former Pandan MP accused Latiff and Zainab of being “big sharks” profiting from the LCS project via offshore companies appointed as project consultants despite being unqualified for the position.
Citing LCS internal probe papers, the companies Alizes Marine and Alizes Marine Labuan were named, as well as millions of ringgits in payments billed for services not rendered.
Rafizi alleged that the two companies bore names similar to a French company and were registered as offshore companies in Malta and Labuan, adding that as much as RM243 mil was misappropriated.
Meanwhile, a declassified report implicated someone named Zainab Mohd Salleh and mentioned that Latiff is her spouse.
“Thierry (Barrier) was holding one share, which he transferred to Latiff. It is noted that Latiff is the spouse of Zainab,” read the 2019 audit report.
The forensic audit was ordered by Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd (BHIC) and undertaken by Alliance IFA (M) Sdn Bhd.
It is the second of two audit reports that the cabinet ordered to be declassified on Aug 10.
The LCS project for the navy has come under scrutiny for its cost and delay in delivery after Putrajaya had spent RM6.08 bil but none of the six ships have been completed or delivered, according to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC). – Aug 26, 2022
