KUALA LUMPUR – Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman addressed the controversy involving his motion to debate the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal in the wake of criticism from PKR Youth, which wants him reprimanded for allegedly misleading the public.
Addressing the broadside from PKR Youth during a press conference in Parliament today, Syed Saddiq pushed back against the suggestion that he and Muda’s leadership moved the goalpost, emphasising that they had previously advocated for a debate in Parliament before the 15th general election.
He reminded that during the election campaign and while they were in the opposition, current government lawmakers had claimed that the LCS issues and the associated corruption were worse than the 1MDB scandal.
Claiming a deep-rooted connection to the issue, Syed Saddiq said that his grandfather had served in the Royal Malaysian Navy until retirement, and as a graduate of the Royal Military College, military principles were ingrained in his blood.
Undeterred by the criticism and accusations, Syed Saddiq highlighted the importance of debating the LCS scandal, emphasising that it directly concerned the country’s frontliners which are members of the armed forces.
Given the matter involves public funds, he stressed that the public would want to know why project costs, which were initially estimated at RM9 billion, later increased to RM11.2 billion, with the reduction of ships from six to five.
“PKR Youth suggested action be taken against me but previously, they too demanded a debate on this issue.
“The public is aware of what’s going on, they will question why the government changed their tone after gaining power,” Syed Saddiq said.
Responding to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul’s reprimand, Syed Saddiq clarified the specifics of his official letter to the speaker, which outlined the reasons for urgency and public interest regarding the LCS motion.
He said that the speaker only referred to the fourth paragraph of his letter during the parliamentary session, while he had shared the content of the third paragraph, which clearly specified the significance of the LCS issue as a matter of public interest and its urgency.
Syed Saddiq reiterated his respect for the institution of the speaker and acknowledged that he had missed the speaker’s advice due to his presence at a parliamentary select committee meeting.
He also stressed that his intentions were not to use harsh words against the speaker but rather to seek a fair discussion of the LCS issue. – The Vibes, June 12, 2023
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