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."