Something fishy in defence system contract

PKR claims that there is no need for a new defence system programme as the army already has one in place.

KUALA LUMPUR: There is something fishy in the defence ministry awarding the Network Centric Operations (NCO) system to Sapura Secured Technologies Sdn Bhd.

Firstly, it is alleged that the system was awarded via direct negotiations. Secondly, the army is against it as it already has a similar system in place.

The NCO programme is meant to integrate all system applications, sensors, command and control systems and weaponry that will stretch over 10 to 15 years.

The issue was first highlighted by PKR’s communication director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad who claimed the army already has a similar system.

Nik Nazmi, who is Seri Setia state assemblyman, also alleged that the proposal to implement the new programme was rejected by majority of the Malaysian army.

Today, PKR vice-president Tian Chua claimed to have received information that the NCO programme does not have a “roadmap that locates this programme within the framework of the nation’s future defence needs”.

“Why do we need such a programme when its direction is not set from the start?” he asked

“Without any direction the total cost of the project is bound to increase,” he said at a press conference.

No transparency

Tian Chua, the Batu MP, also raised a new problem – the flawed “General Service Requirement” (GSR) that identifies all the hardware and software needs to be included in the NCO project.

He claimed the GSR was neither completed nor approved prior to the start of the project.

“This clearly shows that the project has not been subjected to the due processes of transparency and good governance.

“How can the defence ministry allow such weaknesses in governance to take place?” he asked.

Another contention was over the technical viability study for the “P4 system” or pemerintahan, pengawalan, perhubungan and perisikan (command, control, communications and intelligence).

Tian Chua claimed the “command and control” (C2) system currently being used by the defence ministry is still being tested.

“(But we) understand that Sapura is insisting on building a completely new C2 system.

“How can the ministry allow Sapura to be so insistent without taking into consideration the findings of the report?”

A formal complaint was lodged today to ask Mindef to halt the NCO project pending an inquiry.