‘Do we trust Latiff or forensic audit on LCS project?’

KUALA LUMPUR – Mersing MP Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad appears to have some explaining to do, as a recently declassified document on the littoral combat ships (LCS) project has noted his marriage to a woman involved in the controversy despite his denial on the matter. 

The forensic audit report on the LCS project by Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Berhad (BHIC) mentions the special functions minister several times, with one line highlighting his marital link to Zainab Mohd Salleh. 

“It is noted that Latiff is the spouse of Zainab,” the report said on page 96.

Part of a sentence about Latiff is redacted, but the disclosed portion indicates that he received “one share” of a company, which appears to be one Mega P. Sdn Bhd.

Latiff was also appointed as a director of the company on October 23, 2015, after which the company’s paid-up capital was increased to 350,002 shares at a ringgit each.

The report states that of this, 245,000 was held by Zainab and the balance by Latiff.

Yesterday evening, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the declassified forensic audit report by BHIC is now available on the Public Accounts Committee’s page on the Parliament website.

This is the third report revealed to the public on the LCS, following PAC’s report on hearings it conducted into the matter, and the report by the Special Committee on Governance Investigation, Government Procurement and Finance.

The BHIC internal forensic audit report on the Parliament website has several paragraphs and charts redacted.

It does, however, note that there were attempts to “cover up” irregularities.

The latest report’s statement on Latiff falls in line with PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli’s assertions earlier that there were official documents noting the relationship between Latiff and Zainab. 

Latiff subsequently denied Rafizi’s allegations, adding that he is open to being investigated over the issue. 

Latiff’s denial was also flagged by Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who asked whether the public should trust Latiff or the forensic audit report. 

“Between the words of (Latiff) and the forensic audit report that was just released, who should we trust more?

“It is obviously stated in the document on page 96 that Zainab is Latiff’s wife. Is Latiff or the forensic audit lying?” he asked in a Facebook post. 

Based on the internal report, Rafizi said Zainab is a shareholder of Malta-based Alizes Marine Ltd, an offshore incorporated company that allegedly made fraudulent transactions worth RM23.37 million to foreign accounts.

Latiff was deputy defence minister from 2008 to 2013, and the ministry was helmed by current Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the time.

Latiff hopped to Bersatu from Umno after retaining the Mersing seat on the party’s ticket in 2018 and is currently the special functions minister.

Rafizi’s exposé yesterday follows a string of revelations he made in recent weeks over the contentious RM9 billion project to deliver the six combat vessels to the Royal Malaysian Navy. 

The daughter of one Zainab Mohd Salleh had later rubbished accusations that her mother, the chief financial officer of Dialog Group Bhd, was involved in the LCS controversy as Latiff’s spouse. 

In a brief message to The Vibes, Syaza Nazura denied her parent’s involvement in the project, asserting that the woman mentioned is a different individual. – The Vibes, August 23, 2022