We refer to the news report where Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) chief General Tan Sri Rodzali Daud was quoted as saying the RMAF is ready to upgrade its radar system to ensure better security for the country and has submitted its request to the government to be procured in the 11th Malaysia Plan (RMK11)[1].
Defence Minister also said “that there was a need to strengthen the nation’s military assets, including radar system, following the disappearance of MH370”1.
Not the first time, government has the urge to go shopping for the big boys toys
This is not the first time the MH370 crisis has been cited by the government as excuse to go “shopping” for new big military equipments. In April, both Julian Tan and Steven Sim criticised National Space Agency (ANGKASA) for misleading the country by trying to revive the failed RazakSat programme under the pretext of using such technology for MH370-type crisis.[2]
We reiterate that the pathetic excuse the government is giving to justify going shopping for big boys’ toys is totally unacceptable.
No investigation, no report, no clear understanding of the crisis: only a constant urge to go shopping
We have pointed out that until now there is no post-mortem report, no parliamentary select committee to investigate the crisis and assess the issues within, no white paper on this important global crisis affecting our country, and, recently, even parliamentary question on important ground responses posted by Steven Sim was rejected. In short, there is no clear understanding of the matter and yet, the government has decided that buying new, expensive military equipments is the way to address this crisis.
Establish bipartisan Defence Account Parliamentary Select Committee
It is no wonder then, that in the 2013 Defence Anti-Corruption Index, Malaysia is ranked in band D, receiving a D-, meaning, a lower performance country among high risk countries in defence-related corruption. The report on Malaysia was centred on the lack of accountability and transparency especially in the area of defence budget, finance, operation and procurement[3].
The “crisis-as-excuse shopping” is a good example why Malaysia is ranked D-.
Defence budget for Malaysia has been on the rise every year from RM13.82 billion in 2011 to RM16.1 billion in 2014. Yet no independent assessment is done on defence spending under the pretext of “national security” and “national secret”.
In 2008, the Public Account Committee (PAC) in reviewing the purchase of 12 units of Eurocopter EC-725 by the Defence Ministry had proposed the formation of an Independent Review Panel to provide second opinion on military procurement. The review panel must consist of independent expert assessors. It is clear that not only does the government need to justify its purchase, but it should also reform its procurement process.