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Malaysia reopens investigation into French submarine deal, calling in former prime minister Najib Razak for questioning
- Najib, his wife and allies have been hit with a flurry of charges since his surprise election loss earlier this year
- The submarine deal is alleged to have involved more than US$134 million in kickbacks, paid to a close associate of Najib
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Fallen Malaysian leader Najib Razak is being questioned over the purchase of two French-made submarines, in the latest investigation to engulf the former prime minister since his government’s ousting.
Najib, his wife and key allies have been hit with a flurry of charges since his surprise election loss earlier this year as public anger crescendoed over a series of corruption scandals.
Most of the charges have stemmed from the 1MDB affair, in which top officials allegedly looted billions from a government fund to go on a worldwide spending spree.
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But the latest probe centres around a controversial US$1.2 billion deal, signed sixteen years ago when Najib was defence minister, to purchase two Scorpene-class submarines.
“Najib is being probed with regards to the purchase of the two Scorpene-class submarines,” said an official inside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
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