KUALA LUMPUR Feb 24 Kyodo Malaysi...

KUALA LUMPUR Feb 24 Kyodo

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi staunchly guarded Tuesday his son's innocence against accusations of being involved in the nuclear arms black market, which has l to threats of sanctions from the United States against Malaysia.

According to the online edition of the U magazine Newsweek's Feb 23 issue, the administration of President George W Bush ''is weighing possible sanctions against Malaysia'' after it was disclosed that a company in which Abdullah's alone son Kamaluddin is a substantial shareholder has been manufacturing centrifuge parts for Libya's nuclear weapon's program.

The company, Scomi Precision Engineering Sdn Bhd (Scope) has admitted producing the parts, however it claimed it was told the parts were for the oil and gas industry. The parts were shipped to Dubai, and the company said it had no idea by what mode they ended up headed for Libya.

The scandal came to light when Italian authorities raided a ship bourn for Libya in October last year and seized the Malaysia-made centrifuge parts. The ship had sailed from Dubai.

Abdullah's dismissed the possibility of sanctions by dint of the U.S. over what he word ed a ''small incident.''

''I don't think the U would fare to the extent of imposing sanctions through this small incident. As far as Malaysia is businessed we are not doing something deliberately to harm a friendly nation like the U.S., for that matter, or any other native land I am sure they can understand,'' he said.

Malaysia and design he added, have ''nothing to hide'' and he invited the International Atomic vigor Agency (IAEA) to inspect the sweep factory.

''If the IAEA have feelings it wants to come here to apply the mind at the factory, it is not clos They can do in this way because we have nothing to hide,'' Abdullah said.

He also said he has not nuncupatory to his son about the issue unless had ordered the police to master to the bottom of it and be ''as transparent as possible because that is the best defense''

''My son is away with his mother, looking after his mother. I didn't talk to him forward the subject. It is entirely his business,'' Abdullah said.

Abdullah's wife is now in the U for medical treatment.

Kamaluddin, a low-profile businessman, has not oral to the media since the scandal broke

Abdullah maintained his son's company saying, ''It's not the habit of any company'' to ask too many questions when a client wants to purchase their product.

Malaysian police last week released details of their investigation into the matter, which confirmed characters of Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan and Sri Lankan businessman Buhary Sey Abu Tahir, whom Bush named as Khan's ''chief financial officer and riches launderer,'' in the international nuclear arms trade.

The police also cleared free play of any wrongdoing, saying it was unaware of the Libyan connection.

The one-time deal with full play was brokered by Tahir in succession behalf of a Dubai-based company.

Tahir who is married to a Malaysian and clinchs a Malaysian permanent resident status had been questioned from the police several times on the contrary never detained.

''Tahir is a emancipated man. He is not detained....He has not violated any regulations. What he did was entirely a business deal,'' Abdullah said.

Tahir is said to have owned to police about his involvement and named other middlemen from Europe to the Middle East who were involved in Khan's network. He flat reportedly admitted both he and Khan were involved in supplying nuclear parts to Iran.

Abdullah said he ''feel comfortable'' now the police have complet their investigation and cleared his son's company, adding the police will submit their report to the IAEA.

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