Scomi distances itself from chief after US sanctions
Extract of Report from The Malaysian Insider
The United States has slap sanctions on Shah Hakim Shahzanim Zain, the CEO of Scomi and 12 other individuals on alleged nuclear smuggling and involvement in nuclear proliferation activities.
However, the Scomi Group had distance itself from any linkage with its CEO Shah Hakim Shahzanim Zain to alleged nuclear-smuggling.
“The designation of Encik Shah Hakim by the US State Department is in respect of his personal capacity and does not involve the Company,” said a press statement issued by Scomi.
The decision by the United States to slap sanctions on the businessman said to be close to Kamaluddin Abdullah, the son of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, has reignited debate over the level of involvement by Shah Hakim and his associates in a nuclear-smuggling network headed by rogue Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan.
Kamaluddin is also a shareholder in Scomi.
Also sanctioned were 12 other individuals, including Khan and Buhary Syed Tahir, a Sri Lankan businessman and a Malaysian permanent resident who was recently released after being detained for four years under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
The sanctions, which the US State Department said comes after a “multi-year government review”, mean that the American government will not do business with those who have been censured and they will also have their assets and funds in the United States frozen.
The statement by Scomi also added that Shah Hakim has not been notified of the action taken by the US State Department.
The nuclear smuggling ring was exposed in October 2003 when European intelligence officials intercepted a Libya-bound shipment of centrifuge components produced by a Scomi subsidiary.
Scomi executives have maintained that they were never involved in any nuclear proliferation activities and insisted that the company was misled by Tahir, who was a key associate of Khan, into manufacturing centrifuge parts for unspecified overseas customers involved in the oil and gas industry.
Tahir’s wife was formerly a shareholder of Scomi.
Extract of Report from The Malaysian Insider
The United States has slap sanctions on Shah Hakim Shahzanim Zain, the CEO of Scomi and 12 other individuals on alleged nuclear smuggling and involvement in nuclear proliferation activities.
However, the Scomi Group had distance itself from any linkage with its CEO Shah Hakim Shahzanim Zain to alleged nuclear-smuggling.
“The designation of Encik Shah Hakim by the US State Department is in respect of his personal capacity and does not involve the Company,” said a press statement issued by Scomi.
The decision by the United States to slap sanctions on the businessman said to be close to Kamaluddin Abdullah, the son of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, has reignited debate over the level of involvement by Shah Hakim and his associates in a nuclear-smuggling network headed by rogue Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan.
Kamaluddin is also a shareholder in Scomi.
Also sanctioned were 12 other individuals, including Khan and Buhary Syed Tahir, a Sri Lankan businessman and a Malaysian permanent resident who was recently released after being detained for four years under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
The sanctions, which the US State Department said comes after a “multi-year government review”, mean that the American government will not do business with those who have been censured and they will also have their assets and funds in the United States frozen.
The statement by Scomi also added that Shah Hakim has not been notified of the action taken by the US State Department.
The nuclear smuggling ring was exposed in October 2003 when European intelligence officials intercepted a Libya-bound shipment of centrifuge components produced by a Scomi subsidiary.
Scomi executives have maintained that they were never involved in any nuclear proliferation activities and insisted that the company was misled by Tahir, who was a key associate of Khan, into manufacturing centrifuge parts for unspecified overseas customers involved in the oil and gas industry.
Tahir’s wife was formerly a shareholder of Scomi.
Source: The Malaysian Insider
1 comment:
This is a case to use the ISA.
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