KUCHING: The authorities have been urged to probe individuals allegedly involved in the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) scandal.
Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (DAPSY) national chief Dr Kelvin Yii said they included the former Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, current Defence Minister Hishamuddin Hussein and other leaders reportedly involved in the fiasco.
“Heads must roll for the LCS procurement fiasco, especially high-ranking minister who had direct and indirect decision making power in the whole process to ensure such a scandal which not only involves the wastage of billions of public funds, but more importantly, jeopardises and compromises national security, must not be swept under the carpet,” Dr Yii said in a statement on Today (Aug 8).
He pointed out that the LCS project involved RM9 billion contract to procure six LCS ships for the navy, which was initiated in 2011, but with zero results up till today.
“The first LCS was contracted to be delivered in April 2019, the second in February 2020, the third in December 2020, the fourth in October 2021, the fifth in August 2022 and the sixth in June 2023.
“While not a single LCS has been completed and delivered, there was a ludicrous ‘launching’ ceremony for the first ship in 2017,” he said.
On top of that, he said the navy’s view as an end user was ignored by the Defence Ministry and Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) in the implementation of the LCS project, and multiple letters to Najib on the matter then was also ignored.
“The present Prime Minister’s deafening silence on the matter even after so many days after the release of the PAC report speaks volumes of how the government does not take this matter seriously,” he said.
He also said that DAPSY will launch a nationwide police report against the individuals involved in the scandal.
“We encourage fellow Malaysians to do the same as this not only causes a wastage of billions of public funds, but more importantly jeopardises and compromises the safety and security of our country,” he pointed out.
Fact of the matter, he said the very Barisan Nasional (BN) government that is involved in this scandal is the very government in power today and asking the people to give them a big majority in the next election in the guise of political stability and investors’ confidence.
“What they are actually asking for is unfettered powers without the need for accountability just like what is happening with this case.
“That is why we must not buy into this narrative of the need for a huge majority for political stability and investors’ confidence. Fact is, what investors want is good governance, consistency and stability in policies, not a government without accountability,” said Dr Yii.
