PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet is satisfied with Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin’s briefing on the recent controversies involving the Armed Forces.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, who disclosed this, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim took note of the minister’s views during the Cabinet’s opening meeting of the year yesterday.
“Follow-up action will be taken and the explanation by Mohamed Khaled was well received by the Cabinet,” Fahmi told his weekly press briefing here yesterday.
The government spokesperson said Mindef will get priority to adopt the environmental sustainability and governance (ESG) framework in its administration due to the large scale of procurement and need for more sustainable governance.
“There will be follow-ups involving the Digital Ministry and the National Digital Department specifically to help the digitalisation process and reduce leakages.
“This (ESG) will reduce leakages and priority will be given to Mindef due to the large number of procurements,” he added.
The Armed Forces came under the spotlight with allegations of cartel-like corruption activities.
On Jan 8, former Army chief Jen Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan and his two wives were remanded to assist in investigations into alleged corruption involving army procurement tenders.
Mohamed Khaled had said he would oversee a massive overhaul and anti-corruption drive following these developments.
Yesterday, another senior Armed Forces officer was detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in connection with the ongoing investigation involving the military.
Fahmi also disclosed that social media platform X will meet the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) next week over the controversial AI chatbot Grok, which has been temporarily banned in the country.
“Several matters need to be verified before the meeting takes place. So we are waiting for a response,” he added.
On Tuesday, Fahmi said the MCMC might take legal action against X over its failure to restrict access to harmful content generated by Grok.
He said the MCMC had contacted X to request feedback on Grok, but the response from the social media giant was not satisfactory.
Grok was temporarily blocked last Sunday due to repeated misuse of the AI chatbot to generate obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, grossly offensive and non-consensual manipulated images, including content involving women and minors.
Meanwhile, Fahmi said the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) was directed by the Cabinet to deliberate on its decision to submit a review application regarding a landmark Federal Court ruling on a provision of the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA).
He said with the Cabinet already deciding to amend the PAA, the AGC should reconsider its decision to file a judicial review against the court’s decision in July last year.
Fahmi was referring to the case involving former Muda secretary-general Amir Hariri Abd Hadi who was acquitted last August of failing to give police sufficient notice of a rally organised in 2022.
“The AGC will follow up on this. The government agreed in principle to amend the PAA,” he added.
In February last year, Anwar said the PAA would be amended to remove the problematic Section 11, which was an obstacle to protests as it required the consent of the owner or occupier of the place or assembly.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail later said the government had enforced a moratorium on legal proceedings under Section 9(5) of the PAA as part of its reform agenda.
Fahmi also said negotiations for the payment of Sabah’s 40% net revenue entitlement has begun and the government is committed to finalising it within 180 days.
“After that, payments, mechanisms and other details must be finalised and agreed upon by the state and Federal Government. There are still 90 more days left.
“The Prime Minister is committed to fulfilling the agreement made by the forefathers of Malaysia, including matters pertaining to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the 40% revenue entitlement for Sabah,” he said.
Fahmi also said the Cabinet took note of the 50th anniversary yesterday of the passing of former prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein in 1976, adding that the National Unity Ministry would organise a commemorative event.
