KUALA LUMPUR – Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has ordered the declassification of yet another investigative document on the littoral combat ships (LCS) controversy.
This is according to Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who claimed in a Facebook post today that the minister had told Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd (BHIC) to declassify the forensic audit report on the LCS’ delay.
A subsidiary of the Armed Forces Fund Board, BHIC shares the same parent company with the main contractor for the LCS project, Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS).
“The report will further explain aspects of the misappropriation and corruption that has happened and the mastermind behind it,” Asyraf said.
“I wonder who is the opportunist behind the delays. Let’s wait to see what the forensic audit will reveal.”
He added that the information had been relayed to him by Hishammuddin after a Barisan Nasional meeting in Johor Baru earlier today.
On Wednesday, the report by the Investigating Committee on Procurement, Governance and Finance on the issues surrounding the LCS project had been declassified with several redacted sections.
Among the damning findings outlined in the report include how BNS had hired inexperienced junior engineers to design the RM9 billion vessels, contributing to delays in their completion.
The committee also concluded that BNS has poor financial capability and is expected to face serious issues in servicing loans amounting to nearly RM1 billion.
Previously, the Public Accounts Committee had released its own report and urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to take prosecutive action against those behind the multi-billion ringgit issue.
Subsequently, former navy chief Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor became the first individual to be charged in court over the contentious LCS project.
The former managing director of BNS pleaded not guilty to three charges of criminal breach of trust at the Kuala Lumpur sessions court on Tuesday. – The Vibes, August 19, 2022
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