Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein should not disregard the RM9 billion LCS scandal, as a joke by lightly dismissing my public criticisms as being worried about his accomplishment as a Minister and snidely remarking that I will not praise him until Judgement Day. Hishammuddin is wrong because I will praise Hishammuddin immediately if he can get the LCS delivered as scheduled. Full accountability for the RM 9 billion LCS scandal is more important than either Hishammuddin or my Judgement Day.
By saying that my criticism about his mishandling of the LCS scandal shows that “If they don’t care about us, that means we didn’t do our work” ignores public outrage that RM6.08 billion has been paid but not a single LCS has been delivered out of the 5 LCS scheduled to be delivered by August 2022. By his perverted logic, if I do not talk about other Ministers like Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, then Khairy is a failed Minister.
The public wants real answers by real Ministers when national security can be compromised with naval assets undelivered despite paying RM6.08 billion. To-date Hishammuddin has not provided a full explanation on why such huge payments were approved.
Neither has Hishammuddin explained how he could witness the launch of the first uncompleted LCS in 2017, complete with a fake RM400,000 mast, which was discarded immediately after the launching ceremony. Further, can Hishammuddin justify why not a single person has been charged in court for the LCS scandal despite a full array of investigations by Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)?
Hishammuddin’s irresponsible answers on a serious defence procurement matter would give a negative impression that degrades Malaysia defence capabilities internationally. Hishammuddin should wake up and be serious in doing his job properly or else let the whole world see his egregious failure as a Defence Minister.