Who Says There Is No Transparency

With the Parliamentary briefing by the Ministry Of Defence Chiefs to the BNBBC and PR MPs on the purchase of the Littoral Combat Ship purchase price and other allegations, I really hope that all the spin on such defence purchases will stop or it really shows you politikuses are just making political capital without any sincerity.

The Star Online > Nation

Friday January 20, 2012

Clearer picture of defence buy

By FLORENCE A. SAMY
florenceasamy@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry has explained the supposed RM3bil increase for the purchase of six navy patrol vessels in an unprecedented meeting with Pakatan Rakyat MPs.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said they were also open to the setting up of a Parliamentary Oversight Committee on its procurement as suggested by the Opposition, but would leave it to the House to decide.

This was also agreed in principle by representatives from the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC), who also attended the more than two-hour meeting held at the ministry here yesterday.

Dr Zahid, accompanied by the navy, army and air force chiefs, explained to the MPs that the procurement price of the vessels was not increased from RM6bil to RM9bil as alleged, but was actually spread across the 10th Malaysia Plan (RM6bil) and the 11th Malaysia Plan (RM3bil).

The vessels are known as Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

“The main purpose of the discussion was to address the misinterpretation and misperception.

“We were transparent in our explanation. There is no cover-up. We invited the BNBBC as they deserved to know as well,” Dr Zahid said after the meeting on defence-related issues at his ministry.

Pakatan's delegation was headed by DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, who has been vocal about allegations involving certain defence procurements.

The meeting is a follow-up to Dr Zahid's invitation for Pakatan MPs to personally visit his ministry to get an actual view of current issues that have been raised including the LCS purchase and allegations and weaknesses in the purchase of submarines and aircraft.

Pua, who pointed out that the RM6bil was previously stated as the ceiling price for the purchase of the six LCS, said they had the right as MPs to clarify and ask questions to ensure procurements were made according to needs and were value for money.

“We welcome today's discussion and hope the ministry will continue to be transparent and that the Oversight Committee can be set up soon to address matters that are unclear,” he said.

Useful What?

For those wondering why we need the submarines, or for that matter other armaments during PEACE TIME, well here is one for the submarines are good for.

Submarines Help Complete Malaysia's Hydrographic Charts December 08, 2011 22:30 PM

LANGKAWI, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- The addition of two Scorpene submarines in the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) assisted in the completion of hydrographic and nautical charts of the country's coasts, said RMN chief Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar. "Our hydrographic chart is already at 100 per cent and this success can also be attributed to the Malaysian Marine Department and National Hydrographic Centre in Pulau Indah, Selangor. "The process could be expedited and completed as the submarines were equipped with a sophisticated sonar system, among others," he told reporters at the Awana Porto Malai jetty during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2011 (LIMA '11) here Thursday. Abdul Aziz said the RMN also planned to have a fleet of six submarines. LIMA's air display segment is held at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre while the maritime segment is at the Awana Porto Malai. The five-day exhibition ends on Saturday. -- BERNAMA

Well if you do not think this is important, ask the fisherman and the sailors who brings the majority of stuff you use in your household what they think?

A Good Day For The Malaysian Military

Today is a good day for the Malaysian Military.

For the Royal Malaysian Navy, the contract for the LCS is signed but only currently appears in the Malay version of Bernama.

16 Disember, 2011 19:24 PM

Unit Boustead Dapat Kontrak Mindef Bernilai RM9 Bilion

KUALA LUMPUR, 16 Dis (Bernama) -- Unit kepada Boustead Holdings Bhd, Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd telah diberikan kontrak bernilai RM9 bilion oleh Kementerian Pertahanan.

Kontrak itu ialah untuk penghantaran enam unit generasi kedua "Patrol Vessels Littoral Combat Ships" (Frigate Class) kepada kementerian, kata syarikat dalam kenyataan kepada Bursa Malaysia Jumaat.

Niaga janji itu meliputi reka bentuk, pembinaan, peralatan, pemasangan, pelaksanaan, integrasi dan pengujian ke atas keenam-enam kapal itu, katanya.

"Kontrak itu bernilai RM9 bilion, akan dilaksanakan dalam tempoh tiga Rancangan Malaysia, 10, 11 dan 12," katanya.

Penghantaran pertama dijangka pada 2017 dan disusuli oleh yang lain setiap enam bulan selepasnya.

-- BERNAMA

Only I wonder why they chose not to sign it during the recent LIMA.

Second the bravery of the RMAF own special forces is recognised as per below :

December 16, 2011 19:46 PM

Operasi Fajar RMAF Sergeant Recognised For Valour

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (Bernama) -- A Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) personnel who was involved in Operasi Fajar to free a Malaysian ship from Somali pirates early this year, has been recognised for valour.

RMAF's Special Air Service (PASKAU) member Air Force Sergeant Mohamad Lockman Abdul Jabar, 32, was among three RMAF personnel who were conferred valour awards (Airman of the Year 2011) from RMAF chief Gen Tan Sri Rodzali Daud in Subang near here Friday.

He received the award in the sergeant's category.

"The award is given based on evaluation of an individual for integrity, bravery, excellence, friendship and prioritising services," Mohamad Lockman, who is from Kluang, Johor, told reporters.

In the 11.40pm incident on Jan 20, seven Somalian pirates armed with AK-47s and pistols attacked and captured the MT Bunga Laurel in the Gulf of Aden about 333 nautical miles (555km) east of Oman.

Nevertheless, the fast action of RMAF's PASKAU (air commandos) succeeded in rescuing the merchant ship and its 23 crew.

In his speech, Rodzali said the presentation of the awards should act as a catalyst to all RMAF personnel to improve their performance and contribute towards the human capital development of their teams.

The other two recipients of the awards were Air Force Warrant Officer 1 Azmi Bakar (Warrant Officer category) and Air Force Corporal Norafiszal Sabran (corporal category).

-- BERNAMA

Good Job!

What's The Story Mory Now?

I had read with concern the news report below on the status of the Royal Malaysian Navy LCS programme and till the end of LIMA 2011 there was no concrete information on its status by any party.

Combat ship deal held up

Posted on 7 December 2011 - 05:30am
Last updated on 7 December 2011 - 02:17pm

Marhalim Abas
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

LANGKAWI (Dec 7, 2011): The Gowind frigate, designed by French company DCNS, has been selected for the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme.

However, the contract for building the six ships remains on hold due to disagreements between the builder, Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS), and the end user RMN, according to people familiar with the programme.

One of the key sticking points is BNS and DCNS’s insistence that the ships adopt the SETIS combat management system (CMS) designed by the French company.

RMN instead wants another system developed by Thales, the Tacticos, being integrated into one of its vessels, KD Kasturi.

The navy had hoped to reduce the number of CMS in its fleet to reduce training and support issues. RMN chief Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar told theSun yesterday that the government had chosen the Gowind design for the LCS programme.

He declined to confirm or deny speculation that the contract would only be signed when the RMN was satisfied that its requirements were met. He, however, confirmed most of the specifications for the ship had been finalised.

BNS managing director Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor, however, denied the delay was due to disagreement with the end user.

“It is up to the government. We are ready to go forward,” said Ahmad Ramli, a former RMN chief.

Despite the delay, BNS is displaying a model of the Gowind frigate at the Langkawi International Maritime Aerospace exhibition here. The frigate is 107m-long with a displacement of 2,750 tonnes.

It will be armed with a 57mm gun, surface-to-air missiles and torpedoes. With four diesel engines, the ship will have a top speed of 29 knots. theSun had reported on Tuesday that the widely speculated deal for six LCS would be delayed until next year.

A report published in the Janes Defence Weekly stated that the Malaysian government was likely to postpone defence procurement in view of the general election, which could be held early next year.

The LCS contract has been in news since February after Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that the government had awarded BNS a RM6 billion contract to build six LCS or Second Generation Patrols Vessels for the RMN.

The announcement caused an uproar as critics claimed the price of the ships were inflated.

I would rather the story wither rather than the project as the only indicator things are moving along is the display of a supposed model of the LCS based on the French Gowind class below courtesy of forumer marc_zman of mymil. However whether this is the definitive model or otherwise, your guess is as good as mine.

There Is Just No Satisfying Some People

Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng and his entourage climbing aboard the KD ‘Tun Razak’ for a dive session about 40 nautical miles from the Awana Porto Malai jetty in Langkawi.

It is now a matter of record that the three opposition leaders that heads the current Penang State Government has taken a dive in one of the Royal Malaysian Navy Scorpene Submarine during the recent LIMA.

But Politicians being politicians, it can be expected that the event would still be spinned away as per the Chief Minister's blog posting below.

Guan Eng slams Zahid: Don't try to cover up Scorpenes high cost and commission

He can rant all he wants but to this I wanna ask, where does he get off in comparing a submarine purchase with a car purchase ;

After all if one buys a new car, and there is a defect, you take it back to the showroom and ask for a new one. However Zahid refused my suggestion and challenged me to take a dive with the submarine.

Please show of any case in the world where a country with a defective submarine can get a replacement, maybe he is referring to Australia but then he has been mis-informedla as they also cannot get a replacement hahahaha!

At least this time he praises our serviceman including the submariners, but please do not forget your praises of them the next time you want to heap scorn on our military purchases and operationality.

Edited : In case anybody wants proof of the dive itself, the photo sequence is right here at Mymil forum courtesy of forumer Standupper.

First Shots Of Training Ship

Here are some of the first shots of the RMN new training ships expected to be commissioned in 2013. The rest of the pictures can be seem here. Credits to Standupper of mymil forum.

Well If You Can't Make It

Well well the RMN finally did something different, they made a photo gallery of the first day of LIMA 2011, so if you cannot be there like me, at least these photos can be a consolation.

Galeri - LIMA '11 - 5 DISEMBER 2011