Row grows over Malaysia nuclear link claim
Row grows over Malaysia nuclear link claim
Agencies The Jakarta Post Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian opposition parties are stepping up their pressure against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's leadership by raising several issues over the weekend, including charges by U.S. President George W. Bush that Malaysia was a link in the nuclear weapons black market, and a demand to release jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.
They challenged the government to present to parliament a clear and complete report on Bush's allegation. Badawi's only son, Kamaluddin Abdullah, has been implicated in the nuclear proliferation scandal. He is a major shareholder in the Malaysian company Scomi Precision Engineering (SCOPE), whose factory made parts found in a shipment for Libya that could be used to enrich uranium.
The Democratic Action Party, and the National Justice Party (Keadilan), which is headed by Anwar Ibrahim's wife Azizah Ismail, said if the allegations were completely untrue Malaysia should demand an apology from Washington.
The charge is simple: SCOPE manufactured centrifuge parts for Libya's nuclear weapons uranium-enrichment program.
The company has also given a simple reply to the charge: it admits making parts found on a ship heading for Libya, but says it did not know their final destination and believed they were for the oil and gas industries.
Meanwhile, foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar said Malaysia was being unfairly targeted because it was a Muslim country and lumped together with states such as Iran, Libya and North Korea.
"What he (Bush) said was very misleading. We will write to the embassy soon to communicate our displeasure and our unhappiness," he said.
Syed Hamid said in a statement: "We regret that an ordinary business contract entered into by SCOPE has been distorted, exaggerated and blown out of proportion.
"We take exception that Malaysia has been deliberately singled out in the speech when President Bush had also clearly stated that other necessary parts were purchased through network operatives based in Europe, the Middle East and Africa."
Bush also said in his speech at the National Defense University in Washington last Wednesday that a key figure in the black market operation, a Sri Lankan businessman named B.S.A. Tahir, was "in Malaysia".
Bush named Tahir as "deputy" to Pakistan's disgraced scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, who has admitted selling nuclear secrets.
Prime Minister Abdullah said last Thursday that Tahir, who is believed to be married to a Malaysian, had indeed placed the order for the parts with SCOPE and had been questioned by Malaysian police.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties staged a rally on Saturday in an attempt to revive flagging public interest in Anwar Ibrahim.
The gathering capped a monthlong nationwide campaign aimed at rousing support for Anwar, who is serving 15 years in prison on corruption and sodomy charges. Mahathir fired Anwar in 1998 amid a power struggle. Anwar subsequently led massive rallies against Mahathir before being arrested.
Anwar claims he was a victim of a political conspiracy to prevent him from challenging former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who retired last October.
The demonstration is also part of the opposition's efforts to strengthen its challenge against Abdullah ahead of general elections widely expected by June, activists said.
"We want to drum up support," said Tian Chua, vice president of the People's Justice Party. "The opposition is mobilizing toward the elections and calling for democratic reforms."