MALAYSIA has certainly “graduated well” in experiencing financial losses over the years due to corruption and scandals.
Losses in thousands, and later millions have given way to losses in billions.
The losses experienced in the earlier decades pales in significance to the recent stupendous losses in billions.
Many in the country probably thought that the financial losses in the 1MDB scandal was the last major debacle but this was a mistaken belief as the littoral combat ship project (LCS) is fast overtaking 1MDB.
The navy ships scandal probably started the same time as the 1MDB corruption scandal, but resurfaced much later.
The former Barisan Nasional (BN) government and former prime minister Datuk
Seri Najib Razak was responsible for the siphoning off the 1MDB funds amounting to more than RM4 bil.
The plundering of the funds allocated to procure the naval ships took place at the same time as the siphoning of the 1MDB funds.
However, the latter, due to the role of various corrupted intermediaries, took time to be discovered.
Those involved in the former BN government especially those in the Defence Ministry including former defence minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi cannot wash their hands off the financial debacle.
There is no end to Zahid’s involvement in financial scandals but yet he still leads the BN coalition in eyeing for power in the next GE15.
He was certainly the defence minister when the contract for the procurement of the ships were awarded.
Of course, trying to hide behind national security in not divulging details about the project seems to be an act of desperation.
The current defence minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein also needs to answer for the massive financial loss in the LCS project – ships that had never appeared even on the radar of the Raja Bomoh’s bowl of water.
The parliamentary accounts committee (PAC) has come out with the report on the naval scandal and the report is sufficient for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to rely on in investigating those involved in the scandal and the siphoning of funds.
It is not thousands nor millions but billions.
Impartial investigation would probably reveal that losses in the procurement of the LCS might even dwarf the losses suffered as a result of the 1MDB financial scandal.
The question is: why is the MACC dragging its feet on the matter?
There is no need for further discussions or investigation. The individuals involved in the scandal are known to the MACC from some time.
In fact, the MACC can rely on the PAC report to start off with.
Since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has said that the LCS project scandal will be investigated, then why is MACC procrastinating on the matter?
Is it because some big names are involved?
Has there been any massive corruption in the country that had occurred without the involvement of some big names particularly politicians?
The clever manipulation of race and religion have become a perfect recipe for criminal acts including the siphoning of public funds.
In the case of the naval ships, the need to protect the country’s territorial waters have become a perfect or even an iron-clad justification for engagement in corruption and stealing of public funds.
Who are the enemies that Malaysia needs to ward off in the territorial waters?
Is it China or Indonesia or are there pirates or some other entities?
But how does one ward off enemies if there are enemies within the government, public agencies and contractors whose services are relied upon for the procurement of ships?
In this sense, national security is jeopardised not by any unseen or amorphous enemies, but enemies who are within government establishments and public agencies and contractors who are out to destroy and defraud the country. – Aug 12, 2022
Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is the state assemblyperson for Perai. He is also deputy chief minister II of Penang.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
