KUALA LUMPUR: The conflicting statements by the Defence Ministry (Mindef) and the Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd (BHIC) on certain redactions in the Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) forensic audit report need to be explained, says the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh said BHIC had informed them that the forensic audit report that it had received from Mindef had several paragraphs that were “removed”.
However, in a PAC proceeding on Wednesday, Mindef secretary-general Datuk Seri Muez Abdul Aziz said that the ministry never received any report from BHIC and that it was not involved in any redaction of the forensic report.
“So there is a contradiction between what was said by Mindef and BHIC. So we are requesting that the ministry get an explanation from BHIC on what actually happened, and then clarify with the PAC,” said Wong at a press conference at Parliament House yesterday.
Shipbuilder BHIC is the main contractor for the LCS project.
Wong also spoke against the redaction of certain parts in the report by the special investigation committee on governance, procurement, and finance (JKSTUPKK) on the LCS project.
“Names of the company’s shareholders, directors, and the bank that provided loans and financial facilities to the company were redacted. It is understood that this is under the advice of the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC).
“The PAC is not satisfied with this. The AGC also did not explain the need for the redaction.
“PAC demands that the report be fully declassified and the cabinet should give such instructions,” said Wong.
Meanwhile, he said to date, five investigation papers on the LCS scandal had been opened by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
He said one was opened in February 2021 and two in January 2022.
“Of those, one of the investigation papers resulted in an individual being charged in court.
“Another has been submitted to the AGC, while others are still under investigation,” said Wong.
