FORMER defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein today criticised his successor, Mohamad Sabu, for spending plans that went beyond the budget allocated to the ministry.

He questioned how the ministry could afford to buy assets it wants, such as maritime patrol aircraft, if its allocation is to be cut by RM2 billion.

“If we couldn’t even afford to buy such assets previously, how is he going about assuring the public that he can buy these assets with the budget tabled in the Dewan Rakyat recently?” Hishammuddin said at the Parliament lobby today. 

Federal allocation for the Defence Ministry under Budget 2019 was proposed at RM13.9 billion, compared with last year’s RM15.4 billion.

“If you say you are going to purchase assets, where is the money going to come from?” Hishammuddin asked, adding that he questioned the transparency of the budget as the proposed expenditure for the Defence Ministry was not backed up by the amount allocated to it.

“The (ministry’s) direction is not clear and this is far from Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto where they claimed that they want to be transparent.” – November 15, 2018.