Buying what the country needs

PETALING JAYA: Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu has likened having a White Paper on the ministry’s plans to “preparing a grocery list” to ensure the country does not overspend.

He claimed that the previous administration had bought equipment due to the influence of arms brokers.

Mohamad said all developed countries such as Australia, Germany, Japan and China would have a White Paper charting their defence procurement for up to a decade.

“The White Paper lists the types of equipment (for the army) which we need to buy (and) what the prediction (of procurement) for the future is.

“In the past, when Mindef wanted to buy something, it was influenced by arms brokers who plied their wares, ” he told The Star during a visit to Menara Star on Tuesday.

The previous administration, he said, had spent money buying unnecessary defence equipment and at “uneconomical” prices.

“I was told that it is only economical for a country when they purchase six submarines – not just one – as maintenance is very high.

Day-to-day work: Mohamad being briefed by Star Media Group’s chief content officer Esther Ng during his visit to Menara Star. Looking on are Star Media Group CEO Andreas Vogiatzakis and Star Media Group chairman Datuk Fu Ah Kiow.

“Maybe the defence minister then thought we needed a submarine, but now we realise that what we need are more FICs (fast interceptor craft), which are small boats, to monitor the border between us and the Philippines.

“There are so many islands and many kidnapping groups there, ” he said, adding that drones to detect intrusion were also much needed for border surveillance.

“It is like going to the supermarket at the end of the month after we get our salary.

“We must know what we want to buy for the five children and the house that has three rooms.

“So, we know that we buy according to the needs of our family. This is the same as buying for the country, ” he added.

To a question if he had “cleaned 100% of Mindef’s scandals”, he said: “I have not cleaned up 100% but I am very happy with my personnel at Mindef because they work with the government of the day.

“They follow (orders) of the government of the day.

“I have yet to study the issue whether we possess too much equipment which we had bought unnecessarily in the name of defence and these are now merely taking up space.

“I can guarantee that our Armed Forces are ready to defend the country from any form of attack at any time. I am also ready, ” he said.

The ministry was recently plagued with scandals, including the purchase of a Scorpene submarine and six helicopters worth RM300mil that had yet to arrive.