THE overall facts in the declassified littoral combat ship (LCS) report is not affected despite several redactions, Wong Kah Woh said.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman said the facts in the 2019 report by the Special Investigation Committee on Public Governance, Procurement and Finance were erased by the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM).

“There are some facts in the report that were deleted by JPM, but overall it does not affect the entire facts of the report.  

“PAC still maintains that the deletion of such information is unnecessary because the information regarding the directors and shareholders of Boustead Holdings Bhd, Boustead Naval Shipyard and Perstim Industries Sdn Bhd which were deleted, is indeed open information and can be found with an SSM (Companies Commission of Malaysia) search,” Wong said in a statement.

He also said that PAC was still awaiting the forensic audit report done by Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) to be declassified in line with an August 10 cabinet decision.

He said the report by the Special Investigation Committee on Public Governance, Procurement and Finance on the LCS project can be accessed on the parliament’s website. 

Earlier, he confirmed that he had received notification on the report declassification.

“PAC has received a declassified copy of the JKSTUPKK report,” he said, using the committee’s Malay acronym.

PAC in its report on August 4 also suggested that the report by the special committee, which was formed during the Pakatan Harapan administration, be made public.

It was then agreed by the cabinet in a meeting on August 10, as announced by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The PAC report summarises the nine reasons for the failure of the RM9 billion construction project of six LCSs for the navy, which have not been completed.

The report by the 14 MPs found, among other things, that the government had already paid RM6.08 billion to BNS through direct negotiation contracts, but no ships have been received so far.

The PAC also suggested that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission take action regarding the procurement project and expedite prosecution.

Last week, the PAC released its report on the Defence Ministry’s purchase of six LCSs from BNS through direct negotiations.

Although the government has already paid the manufacturer RM6 billion, not a single ship has been delivered.

According to the original schedule, five LCSs should have been delivered to the ministry this month. – August 17, 2022.