CONSTRUCTION of the RM250 million Hutan Melintang army camp was driven by commercial and political interests, and not part of the Defence Ministry’s master plan, revealed a special audit report on the ministry’s land swaps.

“This was a contractor-driven project. The project took seven years to start, and it is clear that it was not a priority,” said the report, which was tabled by Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu in the Dewan Negara last week.

The Hutan Melintang camp is in Bagan Datuk, whose MP is former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamid.

That the camp was not part of the ministry’s master plan was confirmed in the 10th and 11th Malaysia Plans.

The Hutan Melintang project began after direct negotiations with the developer on RM182 million for 17 buildings for the infantry and Royal Artillery Regiment (RAD).

The government would swap ministry land in Rasah, Seremban, and Lahat in the Kinta district, worth RM244.8 million, for the job. The remaining cost of RM50 million would be borne by the ministry.

Before the developer’s proposal in 2017, three other companies had tabled proposals, but were either rejected or withdrew their offers.

The report said Zahid first ordered the Public-Private Partnership Unit to hasten the project in April 2016.

At a July 18, 2017 committee meeting chaired by Zahid, all those involved were told that they would face action if the camp was not ready by August 31 the same year.

“The Election Commission, which was also present, said the period for registration of army voters at the Hutan Melintang camp was between August and September 2017,” said the report.

“The EC said several important elements needed to be ready before an army camp can be accepted as a voting base.

“Among the important elements are, the camp should be physically ready by the deadline, the infrastructure should include the main guard post gate at the entrance, and fencing around the camp’s perimeters. Others include a bachelors’ barracks, a kitchen and a weapons storage facility.”

EC representatives also told the meeting that army personnel would have to be transferred there and conduct routine military activities.

The report noted visits by EC representatives to the camp on June 6, and September 14 and 16, 2017 to ensure that the said elements were ready.

“The audit team found that the EC was directly involved in the transfer of 935 military voters and their spouses from Tambun camp in Ipoh, and 628 military voters and their spouses from Kamunting camp in Taiping, to Hutan Melintang camp in Bagan Datuk.

“On September 11, 2017, the army ordered the 3rd RAD to move into Hutan Melintang camp in two phases in September that year.

“On August 14, 2018, the army rescinded its order.”

Work on the project was stopped on August 2 last year at 42.4% completion. Army personnel who had moved there in 2017 were told to leave as some of the buildings were incomplete.

The report has recommended that the ministry review the project, citing high costs due to the elevated land where the camp is located.

The special audit reviewed 16 land-swap projects involving a total of 2,923 acres, valued at RM4.756 billion. The audit, carried out between July and December last year, looked at transactions dating back to 1997.

The report can be downloaded from the ministry website. – May 14, 2019.