Not one sen should be wasted on arms purchases, says Hisham

 

Hishammuddin Hussein announced recently that the navy would receive its first littoral combat ship (LCS) in 2025 after the project was awarded in 2014. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The defence ministry has to improve its procurement process and cut out leakages and corruption, said Hishammuddin Hussein.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a workshop to discuss the ministry’s plans 100 days after he took over, Hishammuddin said the ministry “cannot allow even one sen of the government’s money to be misused” considering the country’s current economic situation.

He warned that such issues would not only affect the services rendered by the army’s different branches, but would “more importantly” hurt the morale of the personnel.

“… I’m worried that if this (procurement) process is not improved, wastage and leakages will affect our planning. Not just for one day but for the years ahead,” he told a press conference at the ministry here.

Hishammuddin Hussein.

Hishammuddin also warned the ministry’s suppliers not to look at the ministry solely in the context of making profits, but said they had a responsibility to the people.

The ministry has faced numerous procurement issues in the past, among them delayed deliveries and allegations of corruption.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, deputy defence minister Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz said Malaysia will receive six MD-530G helicopters in the first quarter of next year – almost five years after the first batch had been due to arrive in July 2017.

Last month, Hishammuddin said that after a long delay, the navy would receive its first littoral combat ship (LCS) from the controversial programme in 2025.

Worth more than RM9 billion, the project was awarded in 2014 with an order for six LCS to be constructed – with the first one to have been delivered in April 2019.

In October, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said RM6.083 billion had been paid but not a single LCS had been completed.

The issue of corruption in the defence sector was also highlighted by Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) last month, which said that the sector had long been regarded as the “opaquest” area of government activity.

Noting the poor legislative oversight of the defence sector’s budget and low competitive bidding for procurements, it urged the government to take a serious look at the “high risk” of corruption in the sector and implement measures to mitigate it. - FMT