FORMER auditor-general Ambrin Buang will look into the Defence Ministry’s procurement and maintenance contracts.

“Now that we have finished with the land swaps, our next project is to look at the asset-purchase and maintenance contracts,” he told reporters in the Parliament building today.

There is no timeline fixed for the audit, but Ambrin’s six-man committee provides quarterly updates to Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu.

After the general election last year, Ambrin, who played a key role in exposing the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal, was appointed by the Pakatan Harapan administration to audit all ministries, starting with the Defence Ministry.

Earlier, Mohamad tabled Ambrin’s report on the ministry’s land-swap projects in the Dewan Negara.

Besides 1MDB, another issue raised in the lead-up to the 14th general election was Malaysia’s purchase of Scorpene submarines from France.

The subs were purchased in 2002 when former prime minister Najib Razak held the defence portfolio.

It has been alleged that kickbacks were given in the sale, which French prosecutors are investigating.

The French have also placed Najib’s former aide, Abdul Razak Baginda, under probe in connection with the deal.

Both Najib and Razak have denied any wrongdoing. – May 9, 2019.