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| Tahir Has Close Ties to Malaysia Leaders Son |
| 2004-02-18 |
| Beginning to look like Malaysia is more involved than they have admitted. I know I’m shocked. EFL: A Sri Lankan accused of being the chief financial officer for an international nuclear black market sat on the board of a company owned by the Malaysian prime minister’s only son, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. Oops! The connection indicates that alleged senior members of the network established by Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb, were able to woo partners in the highest levels of society. In the Malaysian case, the partners said they had no idea deals were being made to fashion parts that could be used to make nuclear weapons. The companies involved have cut ties with the Sri Lankan, Buhary Syed Abu Tahir and his wife, Nazimah. Too little, too late. The documents, obtained by AP through searches of public files, reveal a paper trail through privately held companies that outlines ties between the prime minister’s son, Kamaluddin Abdullah, and Tahir and his Malaysian wife. I love paper trails. Malaysian authorities say the accusations against Tahir are being investigated and he remains free, though under surveillance. "The question is, has he broken any law?" Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak told reporters. "We have to investigate and get the facts first before we can Riiigghhttt. Rohaida Badaruddin, a Scomi spokeswoman, confirmed Tuesday that Tahir was a Kaspadu director until early last year, and said it was likely Kamaluddin encountered Tahir at business meetings. And cocktail parties, and weddings, golf dates.... Kamaluddin was "shocked and surprised" to learn late last year of Tahir’s alleged role in the nuclear network and broke ties with the Sri Lankan - including asking Tahir’s wife, Nazimah Syed Majid, to sell her shares in Kaspadu, the spokeswoman said. "I’m shocked, shocked to learn that a black market in nuclear material is operating in Malaysia!" "Mr. Abdullah, here’s your check." "Why, thank you." Kamaluddin has not spoken publicly about the matter and was not available for comment Tuesday. A security guard at the house listed on company documents as his residence told AP it was owned by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but that nobody now lives there. The AP traced Nazimah, 35, to an apartment in one of Kuala Lumpur’s most exclusive suburbs. She declined comment, except to say, "My husband is not here; he’s away." She said she did not know where. But a building security guard said a man he named as Tahir had come and gone several times from the apartment on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the telephone line to the apartment was disconnected and the guard said the couple had left with their two young children, sending a driver back later to pay outstanding bills. Skipped town, wonder if he’s gonna have a heart attack soon? Tahir is believed to have started developing social and business ties in Malaysia in the mid-1990s, and by 1998 held a society wedding attended by Khan. Tahir’s wife is the daughter of a former Malaysian diplomat. He’s running in the circles of power. The revelations of deeper links between Tahir and Kamaluddin come as Malaysian officials complain that this mostly Muslim Southeast Asian country has been unfairly singled out by Washington for its role in the nuclear black market. "Lies, all lies!" A senior U.S. official said during a visit to China on Monday that Bush doesn’t hold Malaysia responsible. "There was never any suggestion that the government of Malaysia was involved," said John Bolton, an undersecretary of state, adding the Malaysian firm might not have known its equipment was for nuclear use. Giving them a out, bet they don’t take it. Kaspadu is a privately held investment vehicle for Kamaluddin and a business partner that has a controlling stake in Scomi. Scomi fully owns Scomi Precision Engineering, which delivered "14 semifinished components" to Dubai-based Gulf Technical Industries between December 2002 and August 2003, under the $3.4 million Tahir contract. Scomi has previously identified Tahir as a businessman who approached its subsidiary about the contract, and said Kamaluddin had no knowledge of the deal because he has no official management role in Scomi. "I just sit in on a board meeting every once in a while, don’t really pay attention. It’s just a hobby, really." But company documents show ties between Tahir, 44, and companies controlled by Kamaluddin, 36, were closer than previously acknowledged. Kaspadu documents list Tahir as being appointed Dec. 16, 2000, as a company director. Kamaluddin is listed as one of Kaspadu’s four other directors and its "corporate executive." Oops, again! Those damm documents. Malaysian police say Tahir negotiated the Libya-linked contract around 2001. Possibly from both ends, handy that. It was Scomi Precision Engineering’s first order, and it built a factory to fill it. It’s like the company was created for this sole purpose. Kaspadu records show Tahir resigned as a director Feb. 24, 2003. No reasons were given and the Scomi spokeswoman said she didn’t know why. "He didn’t even leave cab fare on the dresser" Scomi Precision Engineering paid Kaspadu $22,000 in management fees in 2002, when Tahir was a director. Other records show that in October 2000, Nazimah, was one of only three shareholders in Kaspadu. The others are Kamaluddin and his business partner, Shah Hakim Shahzanim Zain. So Kaspadu is the holding company, and Scomi is a division, with Scomi Precision Engineering as the centrifuge plant under them. Shah Hakim Shahzanim Zain must be the partner with the controlling interest. Documents show that Nazimah’s stake in the company was sold to Kamaluddin and Kahim in January. "Late last year, when Kamaluddin and the other shareholder were informed about the investigation into Tahir, they were shocked and told Nazimah to cease her shareholding" in Kaspadu, Scomi spokeswoman Badaruddin told AP. "There was a mutual agreement to sell the shares." I’m thinking there was a "Or else" involved. After an inquiry, Prime Minister Abdullah declared Scomi had been cleared of wrongdoing; last week he said "there is no such thing as Malaysian involvement" in the network outlined by Bush. "Nope, nope, nothing to see, move along" |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #6 They're just one big happy Nuclear family. |
| Posted by: ed 2004-2-18 6:08:22 PM |
| #5 B, nope, that was the former leader of Malaysia. This is the son of the current leader of Malaysia. There's a difference, somehow, I guess. |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-2-18 2:05:15 PM |
| #4 why are we surprised? Isn't his dad the one who said that Muslim's need to become educated in the sciences - rather than the Koran - in order to kill the Jews? |
| Posted by: B 2004-2-18 11:28:15 AM |
| #3 Article from OIC Summit, Oct 2003: PUTRAJAYA, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- Oil and gas company, Scomi Group Bhd is looking for opportunities in countries like Libya, Iran and Egypt, where there are likely to be high growth business potentials, its President and Chief Executive Officer Shah Hakim Zain said Thursday. "We hope to be able to establish and develop relationships in such markets which will allow us to bid for contracts," he said at a workshop on smart partnership in key sector, held at the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Business Forum, here. He said that since 2002, the company has started to look at opportunities internationally, with specific target on three regions namely West Asia, Asean and North African countries. To-date, it has secured contracts in Sudan and Myanmar, and in Thailand it has set up a joint venture with a local Thai company while in Indonesia, Scomi has formed a strategic alliance with a subsidiary of Pertamina, Indonesia's national petroleum company. "In Pakistan, Bahrain and Qatar, we are in discussions with various potential local partners which have the knowledge and appropriate access to the local market in their respective countries," he said. Reads differently now, doesn't it? |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-2-18 10:23:18 AM |
| #2 From Time Asia 23 Feb 2004 edition: But Tahir, currently in Malaysia, appears to be more than a middleman. TIME has learned that Tahir's wife, Malaysian national Nazimah binte Syed Majid, was one of three equal shareholders (including Kamaluddin) in the holding company, Kaspuda Sendirian Berhad, when it went public early last year. Sources familiar with the deal say Nazimah subsequently sold her shares to the Premier's son. Bush said that Tahir is "the network's chief ... money launderer." In Malaysia, Tahir has a more glittering reputation: his 1998 wedding in Kuala Lumpur was attended by a Who's Who of the city's élite. |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-2-18 10:09:36 AM |
| #1 Googled Shah Zain, this from SCOMI Group website: Shah Hakim @ Shahzanim Zain, aged 37, was appointed as an Executive Director and CEO of SGB on 3 March 2003. He has also been the Executive Director of Scomi and KMC since February 2001. Shah Hakim Zain started his career as an Auditor with Ernst & Young ("E&Y") and after several promotions in E&Y, Shah Hakim Zain was appointed as Consulting Manager servicing several big corporations such as Renong Berhad. Later in 1992, he assumed the role of Executive Director of a regional packaging manufacturer, a successful manufacturing company, with direct operational responsibility. Shah Hakim Zain then ventured into the information technology and telecommunications business including Suria Business Solutions Sdn Bhd, the distributor for Ericsson enterprise products and solutions in Malaysia. Shah Hakim Zain currently sits on the board of a public listed company, Sapura Motors Berhad, as well as a number of other private limited companies in Malaysia. |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-2-18 10:00:23 AM |