THE recent expose of the RM6 billion-scandal involving the littoral combat ship (LCS) project is a rude shock to ordinary Malaysians who have yet to recover from the colossal impact of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial mismanagement that rocked not only Malaysia but also the entire world.

It never rains but pours for a country that is also struggling to get back on its feet, arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and economic downturn, as well as political instability.

Furthermore, the LCS affair suggests that we have not learned a useful lesson from such scandals as 1MDB, which should alert those who are supposed to exercise prudence in managing our national coffers to the importance of transparency and accountability.

Tax-paying Malaysians have every reason to be concerned about and also angry with the way their money has been mismanaged to the point of putting the lives of our navy officers at risk.  

If disclosing documents pertaining to the LCS contract would jeopardise our national security, as claimed by former defence minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, then it is equally important for us to realise that corruption and abuse of power in certain sectors of society can threaten the country’s security as well.

That is why concerned Malaysians should also be troubled by the fact that the original Sigma design chosen by the navy was later changed to the Gowind design, despite protest from navy chief Abdul Aziz Jaafar at the time over the unilateral decision.  

Aziz suspected something was amiss after several complaint letters he allegedly sent to the authorities were ignored.

Public shock, frustration, and anger are well encapsulated by a few postings that made their rounds on social media.

For instance, a posting carrying a heading, “The Most Wanted Toy of the Year”, showcased a TLDM Littoral Combat Ship toy box in which a miniature Malaysian LCS was supposed to be placed, but was not there.

The wordings at the bottom of the box said it all: “World’s Most Invisible Combat Ship”, referring to the fact that not a single LCS had been delivered as scheduled after 11 years since the project started.

The first vessels were supposed to have been delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy in 2017, with subsequent deliveries every six months until 2021.

Despite the prolonged delay, the government paid RM6 billion to Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS), which was awarded a contract to deliver six vessels.

Another posting showed a sailing wooden boat, pasted all over with Barisan Nasional and Umno flags, suggesting that the scandalous project started under BN’s watch.

Equally mocking is a posting that made a cheeky comparison between an American Stealth Bomber and the Malaysian LCS. The former can go under the radar and be undetected, while the latter has the bizarre capability of completely disappearing from the radar. It is even invisible to the naked eye.

Indeed, strange things can happen to our defence assets. In 2008, if we recall, two General Electric jet engines reportedly went missing from one of our airforce bases, and ended up in a South American country.

In an apparent response to criticisms, Senior Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein assured the Dewan Negara that the first vessel would be delivered in no more than two years from now. The said assurance might have appeased the senators in general, but it might not necessarily have satisfied ordinary Malaysians.

If anything, given the gravity of the issue, concerned Malaysians would rather have a royal commission of inquiry set up so that those found to have been irresponsible in carrying out their duties and betrayed public trust are made accountable.

The government placing priority on an alleged verbal abuse incident involving a senior government official at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport – as shown by the swift formation of a four-member high-level committee led by Attorney-General Idrus Harun – instead of the billion-ringgit LCS controversy, sends a very wrong message to Malaysians who want to see their money be put to good and proper use.

Malaysia should strive to avoid gaining high visibility on the world stage for the wrong reasons. – August 9, 2022.