GUA MUSANG (April 25): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has never stopped investigation into the construction of the littoral combat ships (LCS), said its chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.

He said that investigation into the case is currently at the MACC level, and it is contacting relevant parties abroad to collect information.

“I deny the allegation of outside parties claiming that the investigation of the LCS case has been stopped, when in fact, the investigation into this case is still active and ongoing.

“Apart from that, the MACC is also making an application for Mutual Legal Assistance through the Attorney General's Chambers, for some (documents and evidence) that we need,” he said.

He said this to reporters after officiating MACC's new Gua Musang branch on the first floor of the federal building here on Thursday.

Azam said that the investigation into the case has taken a long time because the MACC had made several applications, including to track the money trail.

He said that there were a few individuals involved in the case who had been charged in court.

“MACC will not interfere in LCS administrative matters which involve the government in implementing this project, such as the budget given for LCS.

“MACC's investigations are guided and focused on the abuse of power and malpractice which occurred in the LCS,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the purchase of the Scorpene submarines, Azam said that an investigation into the case is still ongoing.

“Currently, MACC is still in contact with related parties abroad to obtain information and evidence regarding some of the transactions carried out.

“Alhamdulillah, there are positive signs from foreign parties, who provide the documents and evidence that we requested,” he said.

Azam said that he would announce the findings, once investigations into the case have been completed.

The purchase of the two French submarines was carried out in 2002 when former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was then defence minister.

Najib oversaw the purchase of two Scorpene-type submarines and one Agosta-type submarine from the French naval shipyard unit, DCN, worth nearly €1 billion (RM5.6 billion).

The submarines, named Kapal Diraja (KD) Tunku Abdul Rahman and KD Tun Razak, arrived in Malaysia in September 2009 and July 2010 respectively.