Navy expresses support for probe into LCS project leakages

KUALA LUMPUR – Although thankful for the littoral combat ships (LCS) procurement, the Royal Malaysian Navy expressed its support of any investigation into leakages in the project and said that proven offenders should be brought swiftly to justice.

In a statement today, the navy weighed in the controversial project after Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee made public its proceedings that had testimonies of ministers and senior naval officers, among others.

The navy said the project’s delay has adversely affected its fleet combat capabilities and morale of its officers as the LCS are critical to national sovereignty and security.

“We take note of the PAC report on the LCS procurement released on August 4 and welcome the recommendations made.

“The navy stresses that the procurement is critical to national sovereignty and security. Our fleet combat capability must be in line with regional geopolitics.”

Among the revelations in the PAC report is the testimony from former navy commander Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar, who said that he had expressed his suspicion on the LCS project and the view of the navy via letters of reprimand and dissatisfaction to the top echelons of the federal government and Defence Ministry.

This included two letters to the then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, five letters to the defence minister, 10 to the ministry secretary-general, and one each to the secretary-general of the treasury and chief secretary to the government.

“All these letters that I sent have been archived. We archived them to ensure that they will be available for reference, and I would not be blamed for the failure to perform my job as the chief of the navy,” said Aziz.

“I anticipated (the problems in procurement), for your information. Because from the start, I have raised concerns over the procurement process. I said, ‘something is gravely wrong’.

“I have never said this outside, but now is the best opportunity for me to inform you that I have registered my greatest disappointment to everyone who is supposed to be listening to me.”

Aziz testified that he suspected something was off with the LCS procurement because while the acquiring of the vessels was done by the government on behalf of the navy, BNS (Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd) was given full control over the project.

On Thursday, PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh said the Defence Ministry must submit its progress report for the LCS project every three months to the PAC until the project is completed.

He added that the recommendation was based on the findings made under several reports, namely the PAC’s report, as well as the Special Committee on Governance Investigation, Government Procurement and Finance report, and the forensic audit report.

This issue cropped up following findings made by the National Audit Department, which were reported in the 2019 Auditor-General’s Report (Compliance Auditing of Ministries and Departments), as well as appearing in the Special Committee report.

Among witnesses who were summoned to the proceedings include Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and Defence Ministry secretary-general Datuk Muez Abd Aziz.

Others include Special Committee chairman Tan Sri Ambrin Buang, RMN chief Tan Sri Mohd Reza Mohd Sany, Armed Forces Fund Board chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Nazim Abd Rahman, Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd CEO Sharifuddin Md Zaini Al-Manaf, and Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Low Kok Chiang. – The Vibes, August 6, 2022