Media Statement by Loke Siew Fook in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, 6^th January 2010:

DAPSY not convinced with the charges against a low-ranking officer of the RMAF and a company director and calls for Royal Commission of Inquiry on the F5 jet engines theft scandal

The Malaysian public is not convinced that the charges against Royal Malaysia Air Force (RMAF) sergeant N. Tharmendran and company director K. Rajandran Prasad at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court on Wednesday in connection with the missing F5 jet engines have solved the latest scandal plaguing the Barisan Nasional administration.

The charge against only a low-ranking officer has even strengthened the negative perception of the public that the government is trying to cover up the scandalous theft. Nobody in their right mind can be convinced that such a theft of an important component at our security bases can be carried out without the knowledge of the higher superiors. Is the government suggesting that the security level of our air force bases are so inferior that a low-ranking officer can easily steal our fighter jet engines worth RM100 million without being detected for nearly 2 years?

If that’s the case, Malaysians have all the reasons to feel insecure and lose confidence on the government of the day as they have failed miserably in their most fundamental responsibility to protect the country and its citizens. If this scandal happened in advanced democratic countries, the minister responsible or even the Prime Minister has to resign immediately. Can we expect such a culture of responsibility from Barisan Nasional government leaders?

The scandalous theft of the F5 jet engines of the RMAF is probably only the tip of the iceberg. If a fighter jet engine can be stolen without being detected for over 2 years, what can’t?

DAPSY supports the call by Pakatan Rakyat to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to fully investigate this high profile scandal as it concerns not only the lose of hundreds of millions in taxpayers monies but exposed the breakdown of security procedures in our military bases which is most alarming.

* Loke Siew Fook, DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) Chief & MP for Rasah