By Shannon TeohKUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 — The DAP has called for the RM2.3 billion Eurocopter deal to be suspended pending the outcome of the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) investigation.
“I call on the Cabinet to take a definitive decision in its Friday meeting that the Letter of Intent issued to Eurocopter is suspended until the outcome of the scrutiny is known,”
its Parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said in a media statement today.
its Parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said in a media statement today.
The Ipoh Timur MP had also asked the government to suspend the deal last week when it was revealed that the 12 Cougar EC725 helicopters being purchased would cost far more than other helicopters in the running.
Soon after, the PAC said it would scrutinise the deal and the Defence Ministry had also defended the deal saying it followed regulations.
However, it has also recently surfaced that Brazil would be acquiring 50 “Super Cougar” helicopters at RM4.2 billion, or RM84 million each. The 12 Cougars to be deployed by the RMAF average RM193 million each.
Lim called for the PAC to have independent experts advise on the investigation.
“Parliament should empower the PAC to engage consultants knowledgeable in aviation... and not be totally dependent on the Defence Ministry or Royal Malaysian Air Force,” he said.
He also urged the PAC to show greater urgency in investigating the deal as well as the
RM5 billion Maybank takeover of Bank Internasional Indonesia and Telekom Malaysia’s RM11.3 billion high-speed broadband contract.
“I understand the PAC has not scheduled any meetings to begin its examination of the three scandals which is shocking. The PAC should work extra hard to scrutinise the three mega deals without delay.” -- MI
3 comments:
In the current time of financial turmoil, why is it so difficult for the ruling party and the government machinery to have the ever ready attitude to act in any possible way to save even a single cent more for the benefit of the country and its citizens? It is the taxpayers' money they are dealing with, not their personal wealth. If the rakyat were to make a list of the potential excesses and luxuries spent by them, it will break the hearts of many malaysians irrespective of ethnicity who are struggling very hard to make a decent living everyday.
The Brazilian price is significantly lower as it is a deal to manufacture and assemble the copters in Brazil.
However, there should still be an unequivocal explanantion from Mindef here on how the pricing of $ 2.1 billion was arrived at.
More than that, we want to know if any local persons or companies (whether in joint venture with overseas parties or not) have been paid agent's commission or awarded 'admin, training & maintenance' contracts. Who (if compamy, names of shareholders and directors), how much and if tenders were called.
That's what transparency is all about.
http://donplaypuks.blogspot.com
The whole shit of this procurement can be found everywhere. From the Ministry Of Finance,Ministry of Defense, KSU, Air Force Chief, right down to the members of the Project Team and the connection of Eurocopter guy in country.
That will be the link and the networking that PAC has to dig as to find the truth. It is not transparent and I wonder at the RMAF level whether it follows the department procurement procedure. Bet you, ziltch!!!Let see what they will say, if they lie and try to hide something, all of them must be fired.
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