Scomi Precision Engineering nuclear scandal information

Syarikat Scomi Precision Engineering Sdn Bhd (SCOPE) was established under the Scomi group of companies controlled by Kamaluddin Abdullah, a businessman who is the son of former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. On 4 February 2004, the New York Times carried a story claiming that SCOPE supplied nuclear components to Libya as part of a rogue network masterminded by Pakistani atomic weapons supremo Dr A. Q. Khan.^[1] Scomi denied any wrongdoings. However, in 2009, the US Department of State announced that sanctions would be imposed on Scomi Chief Executive Officer, Shah Hakim Zain for his involvement in Dr Khan's nuclear-proliferation network.^[2] Subsequently, following US Govt sanctions on Shah Hakim, he has fought to clear his name in that country and succeeded in 2011. The sanctions were lifted by the US State Department on Monday, 18 July, and the news was covered in Malaysian papers. Shah issued a statement as well, saying: "In reference to the lifting of the sanctions imposed, I am grateful to all who have helped, guided and supported Scomi Group and I for the past few years, in particular to the Government of Malaysia and all the agencies. I would like to express my gratitude to the State of Department, United States of America for their assistance and for the lifting of the sanctions."^[3]