KUALA LUMPUR: Former Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (PN-Tanah Merah) seeks answers from the Defence Ministry on whether the helicopters involved in the RM16bil leasing contract are fit for military operations.
“I would like to ask Mindef whether the AW149 helicopters can perform basic functions such as under-slung transport of 105mm howitzers, which are widely used by the Malaysian Army,” he said while debating the motion of thanks for the Royal Address at the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Feb 12).
“I hope the Defence Minister will address this during his winding-up speech without sidestepping the subject or providing long-winded explanations.
I am only asking for a brief explanation,” he added, noting that he only wanted to know whether the AW149 helicopters could perform the same function as the now-retired Nuri fleet.
Ikmal Hisham expressed doubts about the controversial contract, touted as one of the biggest defence deals.
He questioned whether the AW149 choppers had the capability to fulfil daily military operations, including resupply missions to remote outposts, parachute training for special forces, and search-and-rescue operations during disasters.
Ikmal Hisham then said that the six-decade-old Nuri fleet could perform under-slung actions without any issues.
“But if the AW149 - which is said to be the latest and far more advanced - couldn’t perform a basic under-slung that Nuri and the EC725 fleets could do, then why did Mindef go ahead with the contract?” he asked.
Ikmal Hisham also questioned the government’s urgency in signing the agreement with Weststar Aviation Services Sdn Bhd and cast doubts on the Government Operate, Company Own and Maintain (GOCOM) agreement, adding that the government could have waited until the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) to ink the agreement.
Weststar, he said, was just a third-party company and not a helicopter manufacturer.
Ikmal Hisham said if the government is going to use the same cost-saving excuse to justify the GOCOM agreement, it should have instead entered into an agreement with the helicopter manufacturer, Leonardo.
He said the helicopter model is not a sought-after defence asset compared to the Black Hawk rotorcraft, so there is no reason to rush to lock the deal.
Ikmal Hisham then added that an international open tender process would have been the way to go.
On Nov 28, 2024, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government had agreed to procure helicopters for security forces through leasing, citing increased transparency and reduced financial burden.
Anwar, who also serves as the Finance Minister, stated that leasing would facilitate transparent negotiations through government-to-government (G2G) agreements, eliminating the need for agents.
He emphasised that while some countries might buy helicopters at a lower price, the cumulative maintenance costs could exceed the initial purchase price over time.
