Proposal for royal commission to probe Malaysia’s warship deal to be presented to Cabinet: Defence minister

Throughout her debate on Tuesday, Senator Lim Hui Ying stated the PAC statement brought up many problems on the scandal and suggested the business of an RCI in order to conduct a full investigation and find a solution.

“Only with all the highest authority of the country, namely an independent and professional commission payment mandated by the california king, can we get the truth and subsequently a solution to the LCS scandal, ” the lady said.

A good RCI is usually created to look into matters of importance, with the california king determining its terms of reference.

In the past, RCIs are actually formed to look in to issues of unlawful immigrants in Sabah and forex loss by the country’s main bank in the earlier 1990s.

Mister Hishammuddin said in the Upper House that many steps and initiatives have been taken so the project can carry on, in line with a Cabinet decision in Apr this year.

The minister also said that those responsible for the particular ships’ delay or even were involved in abuse of power should face justice.

“I am the same. If any mistakes have been made plus there are elements of corruption, bring me to court.  

“But while we are looking for those who are at fault, the project must continue. I will not look back again, we have to move forward, ” stated Mr Hishammuddin, who had been also the defence minister from 2014 to 2018.  

He added that Boustead Holdings Sdn Bhd should prove that it is able to complete the building from the ships, some of which he said are already 60 per cent complete.

BNS is an additional of Boustead Holdings, a diversified company conglomerate whose largest shareholder is Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) or the Military Fund Board.

On Tuesday, former BNS managing director Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor pleaded not guilty to three charges of criminal breach of rely on over the scandal.

The 78-year-old, who else used to be Malaysia’s navy chief, was purported to have authorised payments totalling more than RM21 million to 3 companies without the acceptance of the BNS’ board of directors.

Mr Hishamuddin declared that while the public wanted politicians to be billed for the scandal, it did not mean that individuals brought to court had been “small fry (ikan bilis)”.  

“The fact is you will find no small smolder when it comes to wrongdoing, specially when it comes to national security, ” he mentioned.    

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob acquired last week promised that investigations into the problem will be carried out transparently and that the government will not protect anyone included.

He furthermore said that the government agreed to declassify a report on LCS prepared in 2019 by the Panel on Procurement, Governance and Finance underneath the Prime Minister’s Division as well as a forensic review report.

The particular parliament’s PAC confirmed that it has received a copy from the report by the purchase committee on Wed.