The case involves alleged kickbacks from the 2002 sale of two Scorpene submarines to Malaysia by French defence and electronics giant Thales and naval shipbuilding operator DCNS.
A former aide of Najib Razak, Abdul Razak Baginda, had been indicted by a French court on July 18, 2017, in connection with the Scorpene corruption scandal.
Najib was defence minister when the US$1.1-billion deal for two Scorpene-class submarines was sealed between France and Malaysia.
The scandal centres on the payment of €114 million (RM570 million) in commissions and kickbacks made by Thales and DCNS to Malaysian officials through a company called Perimekar Sdn Bhd (Perimekar) – a company controlled by Abdul Razak Baginda.
Five individuals, including Abdul Razak Baginda, have been indicted by the French court for their involvement in the scandal.
C4 executive director Cynthia Gabriel said Bourdon was arbitrarily deported from Malaysia in July 2011 by the then Barisan Nasional government for giving a briefing on the development of the case in the French court at a fundraising event.
Bourdon is a prominent French lawyer who is in charge of the Scorpene case in the French court. He and his team of lawyers specialise in human rights and corporate social responsibility and have been providing pro bono legal advice and services in relation to the case.
Gabriel said: “It is noteworthy that the case is still ongoing in the French court and it is only a matter of time that the proceeding is moved to a higher court where those involved will be prosecuted.
“Given the strong commitment made by the Pakatan Harapan government to stamp out corruption, we urge that the ban placed on William Bourdon be immediately lifted.”
She said this would enable him to enter Malaysia and advise the government on the latest development in the case, the next course of action, and steps to be taken to ensure that the case proceeded without a hitch in the French court.
The lifting of the ban, she added, would also enable Malaysians to get the full picture of the scandal.
“This is key to unveiling the whole truth behind the corruption scandal which would facilitate the quest to bring those responsible to account,” added Gabriel.