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KUALA LUMPUR – The cabinet has agreed in principle to declassify the forensic audit report on the RM9 billion littoral combat ship (LCS) project, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
However, this will only take place after discussions with Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and other stakeholders as there are sensitive issues that cannot be disclosed.
Wan Junaidi told a press conference in Putrajaya that he felt that sensitivities relating to national security should not be revealed.
“In principle, the cabinet stressed that the declassification will be carried out. But I’m of the opinion that sensitive issues on national security should not be made public,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
He also did not dispel the possibility that the government will set up a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to investigate the LCS controversy.
“The prime minister said (in a cabinet meeting) on an additional matter (on the RCI). So the question (on RCI) remains open even though the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has done its best.”
He said the MACC has to update the investigation papers on LCS before submitting to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to decide whether to possibly charge other individuals.
“MACC’s investigation is ongoing and the cabinet would like to stress that we will not protect anyone who is involved in any wrongdoing,” the minister added.
Today, the government released the Investigating Committee on Procurement, Governance and Finance’s (JKSTUPKK) report on the LCS project, albeit with redactions.
The redactions in the 106-page report were made on the advice of the AGC, and include paragraphs 2.39.1, 2.39.2, 2.39.4, and tables 9, 10, 11 and 18.
Among the redacted items are the names of Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd’s (BNS) board directors and shareholders, the status of BNS’ loans as of May 2019 – including the loan terms – and details on Perstim Industries Sdn Bhd.
Last week, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had announced that the cabinet suggested for the forensic audit report of the project conducted in 2019 to be declassified but said advice and views from the attorney-general and auditor-general would be sought first.
He added that the cabinet urged MACC to speed up its investigation.
“If there is strong evidence, the attorney-general should prosecute and those responsible will be brought to justice,” he said.
In April, former defence minister Mohamad Sabu and his then deputy Liew Chin Tong had urged Putrajaya to immediately declassify the JKSTUPKK report, after the cabinet had agreed to proceed with the LCS project.
In a joint statement on April 21, the two Pakatan Harapan leaders had said the declassification was crucial in allowing the public to get a better understanding on what went wrong with the procurement of the warships.
They added that the special probe then found, among others, RM5.94 billion of the RM9 billion project had been disbursed, despite not a single ship being delivered, as well as RM1 billion being unaccounted for. – The Vibes, August 17, 2022
