KUCHING, Aug 10: The Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (DAPSY) Kuching has filed a police report on the six Littoral Combatant Ship (LCS) fiasco, which was recently revealed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), claims DAPSY Kuching chief Michael Kong Feng Nian.
PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh revealed last week that cost overruns for the LCS project totalled RM1.4 billion, with RM400 million used to pay old debts from an old patrol vessel project.
Wong explained that the LCS project contract was awarded to Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) via direct negotiation, with the government paying RM6.083 billion, but not one LCS has been delivered.
According to Kong’s statement, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has spent a whopping RM6.083 billion, but not a single LCS has been delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM).
“The six LCS are crucial to our nation’s defence system and sovereignty.
“It is absolutely shocking to hear that the Ministry of Defence has spent a whopping RM6.083 billion yet not a single LCS has been delivered to the Royal Navy of Malaysia,” he stated.
Kong, who is also the special assistant to Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen, noted that not only is the incompetence shocking, but so is the process involved in contract awarding.
“Even the former commander of the Royal Navy of Malaysia, Tan Sri Dr Abdul Aziz Jaafar has raised many concerns about the entire process, from the appointment of the contractor to the design, and even the manner in which taxpayer money was used in this procurement,” he pointed out.
He also mentioned that Aziz had written ten letters to various people in the administration about his concerns, but none of them were ever taken seriously.
“It is time that such scandals be put to a stop. We must ensure proper accountability and transparency in the expenditure of public funds.
“We, DAPSY Kuching, and all our other DAPSY comrades throughout the nation, want the authorities to properly investigate the matter and determine if there was any public misfeasance in this entire fiasco,” Kong asserted. — DayakDaily
