PAKATAN Harapan is using the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal as ammunition to attack Barisan Nasional and Umno ahead of the next general election, Nur Jazlan Mohamed said. 

The former Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman said PH is trying to link corruption in the project to Umno and BN, even though the PAC report did not indicate this.

“In the 169-page report by the PAC, there is no financial link or corruption between the (then) prime minister and defence minister,” Nur Jazlan said in a statement.

“So where did PH get this idea that Umno leaders are embezzling money?”

Jazlan said the PAC report showed that the delay in the project was caused by financial and management issues with shipbuilder Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS), the subsidiary of the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT).

He said the PAC report was also not detailed because it did not list the RM1.7 billion in equipment that it said was now obsolete.

“The PAC should state in detail which equipment is obsolete, not make a blanket statement unless it is meant to be used as propaganda for the next election,” he said.

The Johor Umno deputy chief said if it was true that the equipment was obsolete due to the delay in construction, this fell in the timeline when PH was in power and Mohamad Sabu was the defence minister.

“LTAT CEO Ahmad Nazim has explained that the construction of the six ships was done simultaneously and the stock was bought in bulk because it was cheaper, so when the PH government took action to freeze the project (for almost three years) to do a forensic audit, that’s when the equipment sat idle.

“So, it’s true that some components are now obsolete.”

BNS CEO Capt Azhar Jumaat had refuted claims that 15% of the equipment stored in its warehouses were obsolete, but rather was in the process of becoming obsolete.

Nur Jazlan pointed out that the contract did not allow the shipbuilders additional time to complete due to the delay by the government.

“There are some PH leaders who are unclear on the terms of the contract but are speaking out as if they are experts and saying that BNS is Najib’s crony, hence it was not penalised for the delay.

“In the case of the LCS, the delay was due to the government freezing the project, so the contractor should be given additional time and compensation.

“Weirdly, the PAC made no mention of this in its report, so there is no issue that the government at the time was trying to protect cronies as claimed by PH,” he said.

Nur Jazlan said the PAC’s report also impacted negatively on LCS subcontractors.

He said that it will not be surprising if they took action against Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation (BHIC) to clear their names. – August 18, 2022.