DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang has reiterated his call for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki to resign as the latter “has been caught red-handed telling two conflicting stories about MACC investigations into the RM9 bil littoral combatant ships (LCS) scandal”.
Following his repeated statements asking Azam to clarify the three charges levelled against former Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) managing director Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor which had nothing to do with the LCS scandal – but concerned other defence procurements – Kit Siang accused the MACC head honcho of “playing the deaf, blind and dumb game”.
“(His action leaves) the public with the impression that the three charges against Ahmad Ramli were because of the LCS scandal,” explained the MP for Iskandar Puteri. “The letter of award (LOA) for the supply of six LCS at the total value of RM9 bil was issued on Dec 16, 2011 but the three charges levelled against Ahmad Ramli pre-dated the LOA.”
Recall that Ahmad Ramli, 78, who was also the former Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Aug 16 under Section 409 of the Penal Code with three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM21.08 mil in the LCS project between 2010 and 2011. He pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
Earlier on Aug 11, the MACC had issued a statement saying that it had completed its investigation papers on individuals linked to the LCS scandal, and that the investigation papers had been handed to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC).
“What is the reason for the MACC’s conflicting statements – saying on Aug 11 that MACC had completed its investigations on the LCS scandal and contradicting it on Sept 8 by saying the MACC needed more time for its investigations in the LCS scandal?” asked the veteran lawmaker. “Is Azam going to continue to play the ‘deaf, blind and dumb’ game?”
Kit Siang further challenged Azam to explain why the MACC had failed to take action against anyone for the RM9 bil LCS scandal although he had the benefit of two reports on the LCS scandal for over two years.
The reports are that by the Special Investigation Committee on Public Governance, Procurement and Finance headed by then auditor-general Tan Sri Ambrin Buang and the report of the forensic audit of the LCS procurement (2011-2014) carried out by Alliance IFA (M) Sdn Bhd at the behest of Boustead Heavy Industries Corp Bhd (BHIC).
“(Both reports) contained a myriad of possible charges on corruption, abuse of power, breach of trust, malpractices and cheating,” Kit Siang pointed out.
“Did the MACC recommend that the UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi should (also) be charged in court for overturning his own decision as defence minister in 2011 and as recommended by the RMN to contract six Dutch-made Sigma LCS but (instead) chose the Scorpene (submarine) manufacturer’s six French-made Gowind LCS without consulting the Navy who is the end-user?” – Sept 12, 2022
