KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Tambun-PH) has rejected calls to involve a parliamentary special select committee in scrutinising technical safety requirements for the nation’s military assets, warning that such disclosures could compromise national security.
Defending the government’s decision to lease 28 helicopters for national security from Italian defence firm Leonardo, Anwar argued against revealing sensitive details.
“There is no country in this world that generally discusses technical safety requirements. It cannot be done,” Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat today in response to a supplementary question from Bersatu MP Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (Tanah Merah-PN).
“I don’t think the specifications of each helicopter for the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Navy should be (disclosed) to the parliamentary committee (as) it is unreasonable for us to discuss in detail the specifications, requirements and strengths of our military equipment.”
While Anwar added that Ikmal is welcome to request that the Defence Ministry and Home Ministry reassess what can be disclosed to the public, he stressed that the government has thus far revealed as much as possible on military equipment purchases.
Ikmal had earlier requested that the leasing arrangement be scrutinised by a parliamentary special select committee as the RM16.54 billion contract is the “biggest in the nation’s history”.
He said that the committee should be allowed to verify whether the helicopters involved in the arrangement are the assets needed by the end-user.
Besides that, Anwar also told the lower House that all specifications for the helicopters were determined by the relevant security agencies based on their respective operational needs, adding that transparency and adherence to these requirements were prioritised.
The prime minister noted that the leasing arrangement helped alleviate maintenance burdens, which had become a significant issue with billions spent annually on relevant materials, upkeep as well as natural wear and tear.
“I agreed to continue with the leasing arrangement that was previously made, but we are expanding its scope,” he said, highlighting that other countries such as Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines also practised the leasing model.
Under the expanded scope, Leonardo will have to undertake the maintenance, repair and overhaul of the helicopters as well as ensure that the choppers maintain a readiness and operational level of at least 85%.
“We also added one more condition, that is collaboration with our training institutes, including Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and under the armed forces, to support Malaysia’s preparation as a regional hub,” he said, noting that Malaysia will be the third such hub after ones in Italy and Miami.
Melaka, he said, is a likely choice for the hub due to its proximity to the Batu Berendam Airport, which the government has agreed to designate as the training centre for Leonardo helicopters.
Anwar added that while direct purchases might be considered to address urgent needs, the primary objective was to maintain transparency, minimise unpredictable financial burdens and promote knowledge transfer and training.
Earlier this month, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (Kota Tinggi-BN) said that the 15-year leasing contract was managed by the public-private partnership unit under the Prime Minister’s Department (PMD).
Under the contract, 12 helicopters would be allocated to the armed forces, seven to the police, two each to the navy and the fire and rescue department, four to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, and one to the PMD.
The ministry terminated the leasing contract for four Black Hawk helicopters after Aerotree Defence and Services Sdn Bhd, the firm which won the tender, failed to meet the stipulated deadline, even after an extension until the end of October. – November 28, 2024