Muda hits back at PKR Youth over Syed Saddiq’s LCS motion

 

The LCS project’s total cost has been revised to RM11.2 billion while the navy will receive five frigates instead of the original six.

PETALING JAYA: Muda has hit back at PKR Youth after the latter urged Putrajaya to reprimand Muda and its president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman for “misleading the public” on his parliamentary motion on the littoral combat ship (LCS) project.

The party’s Selangor chapter said PKR Youth should not be prejudiced against Muda for being outspoken over issues like the controversial LCS project, adding that it was of interest to Malaysians.

“In the past, (PKR Youth) had also taken to the streets, calling for the culprits behind the LCS scandal to be prosecuted and brought to justice.

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“Our stand remains, Muda will keep on fighting for the people and will not conspire with those who misappropriate public funds,” it said in a statement.

In its statement yesterday, PKR Youth also urged Pakatan Harapan (PH) to take Syed Saddiq’s motion into consideration when deciding on Muda’s application to join the coalition.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul had reprimanded Syed Saddiq last week for being disingenuous when criticising his decision to reject the motion on the LCS issue.

Johari said the motion was rejected as it was neither a pressing matter, nor one of public interest. He added that he would allow a debate in the Dewan Rakyat once the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) report on the matter was submitted.

But Selangor Muda reiterated that the issue needed to be debated in Parliament urgently, saying this was not about politics but that it concerned national security and public funds.

They also urged Putrajaya to drop charges against those who attended a protest over the LCS project last year. Muda secretary-general Amir Hariri Abd Hadi was among those who had been charged under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 over the protest.

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The LCS project, which was originally priced at RM9 billion, came under much scrutiny last year after the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) revealed that not a single ship had been completed although Putrajaya had already paid out RM6.08 billion on the project.

The PAC said the navy should have received five of the ships by August last year.

The project had been awarded to Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) through direct negotiations.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which investigated the project, had previously recommended that several individuals be charged.

Its total cost has since been revised to RM11.2 billion after a sixth supplemental contract for the project was signed recently between BNS and the government, with the navy set to receive five frigates instead of the original six. - FMT