Abdul Latiff’s lawyer issues letter of demand to auditors over LCS project

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad’s lawyer has issued a letter of demand to the auditors behind the forensic audit report which named the Mersing MP in the littoral combat ship (LCS) project.

An online news portal reported that the law firm Chetan Jethwani & Co had sent a letter of demand dated Sept 7 which demanded the auditors to retract alleged defamatory remarks within the next 48 hours or face legal action.

ALSO READ: ‘No decision yet on calling Latiff’

The law firm also demanded the auditors in the forensic audit report – Alliance IFA (M) Sdn Bhd – to issue an apology to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions).

The letter of demand was sent to Alliance IFA (M) Sdn Bhd director Prabhat Kumar.

ALSO READ: Focus on the issue of missing money from LCS project, says Rafizi

“We can confirm that there is a letter of demand (sent to the auditor), but we have not received a response yet.

“I am not in a position to disclose the content of the letter of demand, that is confidential,” Chetan was quoted as saying by the news portal on Friday (Sept 9).

ALSO READ: LCS scandal: I have no wife or wives named Zainab Mohd Salleh, says Abdul Latiff on Rafizi’s claims

Another news portal that sighted the letter of demand on Sept 7 said the statement by the auditors was untrue and defamatory to Abdul Latiff.

“Your statement has also caused many issues within our client’s family and constituency,” the letter of demand purportedly read.

ALSO READ: Big reveal coming on Abdul Latiff and ‘Zainab’

On Aug 22, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli alleged that companies linked to the second wife of a former deputy defence minister were involved in the LCS scandal.

Rafizi had linked one “Zainab Mohd Salleh” to an offshore company with units incorporated in tax havens such as Malta and Labuan.

The declassified forensic report on the LCS scandal involving Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd (BHIC) named a husband-and-wife pair, Abdul Latiff Ahmad and Zainab Mohd Salleh, as the individuals linked to Alizes Marine Ltd.

The company was flagged for suspicious transactions in a spare parts deal but the report, however, did not specify who the said Abdul Latiff was.

The report also listed Zainab as the shareholder and director of Alizes Marine Ltd domiciled in Malta, and Intralogistics Ltd registered in Labuan, which owns Alizes Marine Labuan and Sousmarin Armada Sdn Bhd.

Latiff has since denied that any of his family members are involved in the LCS project and lodged a police report over the allegations.