New Defence Force Chief Malek Razak Sulaiman has vowed to carry out a “total clean-up” of the armed forces, particularly involving issues of governance, integrity, procurement and financial management.
He said the armed forces will not compromise on any breach of governance principles involving human resource management, development planning, finance and procurement.
“I, together with all three service branches - navy, army and air force - promise that we are going to do a total clean-up,” he said at a press conference after his welcoming ceremony as the 24th chief of defence force at Wisma Pertahanan in Kuala Lumpur today.
Malek said that this morning he had an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and received several important royal instructions that require immediate attention, including leadership by example, integrity in service, management and governance.
“His Majesty decreed that discipline must be upheld as the main pillar safeguarding the security and sovereignty of the nation,” he said.
In addition, His Majesty also emphasised the welfare of personnel and the need to preserve and restore the morale of armed forces personnel affected by recent developments.
Rebuilding public trust
Commenting on current issues that have raised public concern, Malek said the armed forces are aware of public anxiety, noting that the people are among the key stakeholders in national security.
“We acknowledge and understand the concerns of the people. What has happened is a wake-up call for armed forces management, particularly in matters involving governance, integrity, procurement, development and financial management,” he said.
He added that initial actions had been taken by the Defence Ministry over the past month and that the improvement process will continue comprehensively.
“Alhamdulillah, there is wisdom in what has happened. It teaches us to reflect and reassess, whether as individuals or as an organisation, so that we become more stable and better prepared,” he said.
Time to bounce back
According to him, the armed forces are a resilient organisation capable of bouncing back from any setbacks.
“This is the bounce-back time. We will manage what has happened and move ahead,” he said, adding that he will outline a detailed mandate and action plan in the near future to address the issues and move forward.
“How we move forward as a main force that is reliable and a pillar of trust for the people,” he said.
He also described the post of defence force chief as a great trust, especially under the challenging circumstances.
“Being chief of the defence force is not an easy job, especially now. But with the government, the nation’s top leadership, the defence minister and the entire defence community, we will restore public confidence in the armed forces,” he added.
Several senior officers have been charged in court recently with corruption, abuse of power and criminal breach of trust.
- Bernama
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