Tok Mat: No interference in navy’s choice of vessels

THE Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has been given a free hand to decide the best Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) that meets its needs, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

The Defence Minister said that the navy’s evaluation committee has since concluded its evaluation of nine companies for the supply of LMS.

“As end users, RMN will decide on what model is to be procured, the specifications and their combat roles. After which, government-to-government negotiations will take place for a memorandum of understanding to be signed with the countries in question and for the contract to be concluded,” he said when wrapping up his ministerial replies on the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review in Parliament yesterday.

He was responding to a question by Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) on the procurement process of the LMS, particularly on the government-to-government negotiations which are similar to direct negotiations.

In February, the government approved some RM2.5bil under Budget 2023 for the procurement of three vessels known as the ‘LMS Second Batch’.

The three will be the first vessels in a class of eight ships and are part of the RMN’s ‘Rolling Plan 3’ of the 12th Malaysia Plan.

Mohamad assured Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (PN-Putrajaya) that the navy has been given “a free hand” to decide on the type of ships it required without any outside influence.

He said the bids for the LMS were from France, Italy, Turkiye, South Africa and Germany.

On a related matter, Mohamad said he will not compromise if there were irregularities in a proposed contract with defence firm Thales for the the supply of a long range air surveillance radar for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).

“I take very seriously the allegations by YB Pendang as it involves the integrity of the Defence Ministry,” he said of the long range air surveillance radar which will be located in Bintulu, Sarawak to monitor the South China Sea.

“I will not compromise on such issues and if YB Pendang has proof, submit it to us so that the relevant investigative agencies will be able to take action,” he said.

Awang had questioned the award as Thales is currently being investigated for allegations of bribery over a US$2.5bil contract to modernise the Indian Air Force’s Dassault Mirage 2000 planes.

He said the company had also been embroiled in other questionable deals.

Thales was awarded a letter of intent and had signed a contract for the radar during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2023 (LIMA 2023) in May.