KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s apparent blaming of Pakatan Harapan (PH) over delays in the delivery of the littoral combat ship (LCS) project has been described as nothing more than an attempt to confuse the rakyat and shift culpability.
Former PH defence minister Mohamad Sabu and his then deputy Liew Chin Tong, in a joint statement today, attempted to put Najib in his place by highlighting details of the defence deal that underscored the latter’s role in the project that led to the current scandal.
“It is clear that Najib is trying to confuse the public and blame the PH government when it was him and Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who were responsible for the failure of the LCS project, for approving it without careful negotiation with experts first.”
Najib was the prime minister from April 2009 to May 2018, when the contentious LCS project was actively ongoing, while Zahid had served as the defence minister from April 2009 to May 2013, during the earlier phases of the project.
Responding to Najib’s claim yesterday that the PH government had made a mistake by freezing the project in 2019, resulting in deferment in the LCS delivery, Mohamad and Liew pointed out that major delays could have been traced back to as early as 2016, when the final detailed design should have been completed.
However, they noted that this has yet to be finalised to date, with progress only at 80%.
The PH leaders also highlighted that the LCS project should have achieved an overall progress status of 70.53% by January 2018, prior to the general election in May, although the figure only stood at 50.15% then.
They added that Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s explanation in the Dewan Negara yesterday on how Malaysia is set to get its hands on its first LCS ship in two years at the latest is unrealistic, based on current considerations.
“On September 27, 2021, former defence secretary-general Datuk Seri Muez Abdul Aziz informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that... after (contractor) Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) completes its detailed design, Naval Group needs at least 12 months from the day of a debt repayment (of RM198 million) is made to finalise confirmation.
“When Defence Minister Hishammuddin announced in April 2022 that LCS will be revived, what is actually happening is that BNS has been given six months to find mobilisation funds to restore the project. This fund will be used to pay Naval Group and the other original equipment manufacturers.
“Since the details are only about 80% complete and the Naval Group has yet to be paid, Hishammuddin’s announcement in the Dewan Negara yesterday that the first vessel will be completed in a year or two is absolutely unrealistic.”
French submarine maker DCNS had changed its name on June 28, 2017 to the Naval Group.
Mohamad and Liew went on to point out that it was the PH government that took immediate measures to set up the Governance, Procurement, and Finance Investigation Committee (JKSTUPKK) in a bid to save the LCS project.
They also recalled how several top government officials and high-ranking defence ministry personnel had met Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on February 11, 2020, to brief the then prime minister on project updates.
“In the meeting, the former premier decided that those guilty must be brought to justice, BNS’ management be reshuffled and for the LCS project to be regarded as a sick project and would be given fund injection.
“The Defence Ministry was ordered to table a cabinet paper in the near future. Unfortunately, what was planned could not be carried following the Sheraton Move that overthrew the PH government.”
In its report on the LCS tabled last Thursday, the PAC had recommended the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to take prosecutive action against those behind the multi-billion-ringgit scandal, with its chairman saying this was based on the findings made pertaining to the project.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki had said last Saturday that its probe is currently in the final stages, with investigation papers delivered to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, and that the results of the probe will be announced soon.
Najib had uploaded a number of posts on his Facebook account going on the defensive since accusations of misappropriation and alleged mishandling involving LCS were revealed by PAC.
Findings revealed that the government has spent more than RM6 billion in the procurement of six LCS vessels, although none has been delivered yet. – The Vibes, August 9, 2022
