KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein says neither he nor any other top Defence Ministry officials have anything to hide pertaining to the government’s procurement of the six littoral combat ships (LCS), after it recently grabbed national attention.
In a statement today, the defence minister said he would also provide his full cooperation to authorities currently investigating the matter, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
This comes after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced earlier today that the cabinet has agreed to declassify the Special Committee on Governance Investigation, Government Procurement and Finance’s report on the LCS.
The prime minister also said he had contacted MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki to speed up investigations, while a separate call was also made to Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Azizan Harun to prosecute those guilty, if there is strong evidence of wrongdoing.
In welcoming the move, Hishammuddin said his ministry would do anything to ensure the issue could be resolved soon.
“All we want is for this matter to be addressed and carried on, in the interest of the navy and for the sake of the public funds that have been spent, as well as the national interest,” he said.
Separately, Hishammuddin said the cabinet’s decision today will have no ramifications on three key points that he had previously raised pertaining to the project.
“The first is that the navy needs the LCS, and because of that, the project must continue in accordance with the cabinet’s decision in April. Second, those guilty must face justice.
“Thirdly, in the next six months, the Defence Ministry will actively negotiate with the original equipment manufacturers, vendors and banks as a mobilisation plan to ensure the LCS can be completed.”
In this regard, Hishammuddin said it is crucial for all stakeholders to continue efforts to complete the project, so that the navy could finally own the much-needed combat vessels. – The Vibes, August 10, 2022
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