PARLIAMENT | The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will summon Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in his capacity as former defence minister, in its probe into the ministry's failure to deliver six second-generation Littoral Combatant Ships (LCS) valued at RM9 billion.
PAC chairperson Wong Kah Woh said former Royal Malaysian Navy Admiral Abdul Aziz Jaafar and the project's main contractor, BNS Sdn Bhd, will also be summoned in the proceeding next month.
"The PAC will also visit the LCS construction site in Lumut, Perak, in January next year," Wong said in a statement.
"The PAC intends to complete and table a report on the procurement of six second-generation LCS vessels in the Dewan Rakyat during its March 2021, sitting," he said.
Wong said seven witnesses have been summoned at four PAC meetings so far, including Auditor-General Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid, Defence Ministry secretary-general Muez Abdul Aziz, and former auditor-general Ambrin Buang as chairperson of a government committee set-up under the previous Pakatan Harapan administration to investigate its financial governance and procurement.
In a statement today, Wong said a failure to complete construction of the vessels is a serious matter, involving not only a weakness in governance, procurement and finances but also impacting national security.
"As of October 2020, RM6.083 billion has been paid but not a single LCS has been completed on schedule, although, by right, two vessels must be ready by now," he said.
It was also noted that the RM9 billion contract is the largest procurement deal signed by the Defence Ministry. - Mkini
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