PETALING JAYA: Police confiscated a mobile phone belonging to PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli when he was at the Sentul police headquarters to have his statement taken over his claims about the delayed RM9 billion littoral combat ship (LCS) project.
“We have taken his statement and the investigation is still ongoing,” Sentul police chief Beh Eng Lai was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.
Rafizi is being investigated under Section 500 of the Penal Code for defamation and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998 for inappropriate use of network services.
Rafizi arrived at the Sentul police headquarters with three lawyers and was accompanied by 30 supporters.
He was at the police headquarters from around 3pm to 4.30pm.
Rafizi told reporters he gave his full cooperation to the police, who treated him well.
He is being investigated for claiming that a woman named Zainab Salleh, who is said to be special functions minister Abdul Latiff Ahmad’s second wife, was involved in the LCS scandal.
Latiff has repeatedly denied Rafizi’s claims and has challenged the latter to prove that he was married to Zainab – with Latiff’s aide filing a police report against Rafizi over his claims.
The minister said Rafizi’s allegations, including that he had a wife who was linked to two companies involved in the misappropriation of funds in the LCS project, was aimed at smearing his reputation.
Police recorded Latiff’s statement on Thursday.
Latiff was previously reported to have said that he played no part in the LCS contract in 2014. He has also denied claims that his family members had benefited from defence contracts when he was in the ministry.
The LCS project, costing RM9 billion, involved the construction of six frigates for the navy.
The Public Accounts Committee released its findings on the project last month, stating that none of the ships had been completed or delivered despite RM6.08 billion being disbursed so far.
