Govt urged to declassify documents related to vessels

PETALING JAYA: Three key documents related to the littoral combat ship (LCS) fiasco must be declassified by the government to find a solution to the multibillion ringgit scandal, say two Opposition leaders.

Former Pakatan Harapan defence minister Mohamad Sabu and his then deputy Liew Chin Tong, in a joint statement yesterday, said there were “more questions than ever” on what had transpired in the case of the LCS project mismanagement, following the Public Accounts Committee’s report on the scandal.

“To find solutions and the way forward, we urge Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and the government to decide at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to declassify several documents for the nation to understand the problem,” Mohamad and Liew said.

They said they endorsed the PAC’s suggestion that former auditor-general Tan Sri Ambrin Buang’s special investigation report should be fully declassified, adding that the report contained detailed financial information that was not fully disclosed in the PAC report.

“Second, declassify the Boustead Naval Shipyard’s forensic report on LCS commissioned in 2019. The audit was conducted by audit firm Alliance IFA,” they said.

The duo also called for the 10 letters by former commander of the Royal Malaysian Navy Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar when he was at the helm from April 1, 2008 till Nov 17, 2015 to be declassified.

It was reported that RM1.4bil worth of government funds intended for the multibillion ringgit LCS project signed in 2014 was diverted for other purposes.

None of the ships has been completed so far, although five should have been delivered by this month, the PAC revealed in Parliament.

Another RM255mil worth of LCS equipment, or 15% of the RM1.7bil worth, which was kept in store for the project, is now obsolete.

These were among the findings contained in the bipartisan committee’s 250-page report that was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Aug 4.

Of the RM1.4bil, RM400mil was used to repay previous debts incurred under the New Generation Patrol Vessel project, RM305mil was used for an integration facility in Cyberjaya, and another RM700mil was a cost overrun that exceeded the LCS contract ceiling.