DAP MP calls for Dewan Rakyat to reconvene to debate LCS scandal

Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim has questioned the Dewan Rakyat’s inability to reconvene and debate the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal.

This comes after Dewan Negara speaker Rais Yatim last week allowed a motion from Senator Lim Hui Ying to debate the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on the RM9.12bil LCS scandal.

Sim congratulated Rais and members of the upper house for dignifying the Upper House as a “place to raise issues of interest to the rakyat” and act as a check-and-balance to the government.

The lower house has just taken a break following a three-week session early this month. It is not due to reconvene until late October when it is scheduled to meet from Oct 26 to Dec 15.

“One week ago, I urged the prime minister to call a special parliamentary session to debate the PAC report,” said the DAP parliamentarian.

“Now with the precedent set by the Dewan Negara, there is no reason why the Dewan Rakyat cannot convene immediately to debate this important issue.

“In the advice issued by the Dewan Negara speaker, he (Rais) outlined three main conditions for allowing the motion to discuss the PAC report on the LCS scandal.”

According to Sim, the three main conditions for allowing the motion are:

1. That it is regarding a certain or specific matter

2. That it is of public interest as it involves national security

3. That the debate on the matter needs to be expedited

“Therefore, based on the same advice, the Dewan Rakyat should immediately convene to debate this very critical issue,” said Sim.

Urgent matter

On Aug 9, three senators called for the upper house to debate the LCS scandal.

The motion was proposed by senators Lim Hui Ying, A Kesavadas Nair and Fadhlina Sidek, which according to them was to seek a better understanding of the LCS procurement for the Royal Malaysian Navy.

Last week, Sim called on Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to summon Parliament for a special sitting to debate the Public Account Committee’s report on the project.

The LCS project is a RM9 billion contract to procure six combat ships for the navy, which was initiated in 2011, but with zero results to date despite the government already having paid out RM6 billion.

The first ship was supposed to be delivered three years ago but is now expected to only be delivered in 2024.

Sim had then said the delays are one of the matters that should be debated, along with other matters including the Defence Ministry choosing a different design for the vessels against the navy’s wishes, as well as possible misconduct by the Umno-led BN government from 2011 to 2018.

Among those implicated in the fiasco are then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, former defence minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and current Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. - Mkini