KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 — The government will inject an additional RM152.6 million into the offshore patrol vessel (OPV) project to ensure its completion.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Putrajaya will take over the management of the OPV, which was previously managed by THHE Destini Sdn Bhd.

"The Finance Ministry will take over the management of the OPV project after discovering significant problems, where we have been forced to inject an additional RM152.6 million. From our observations, the OPV can be completed this year.

"I mention this as problems cropped up that resulted in a delay of completion, and I am asking that all enforcement arms continue to be investigated — whether at the Home Ministry or Defence Ministry — as this is very important for security matters to prevent any parties from taking advantage (of the project) and causing losses,” Anwar told reporters during a press conference after the post-Cabinet meeting held today.

Anwar said the first goal was to save the OPV project and see it through to completion on schedule.

He added that the second was to ensure that those who abused their power to reap benefits from the project will not escape investigation.

In September, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was urged to investigate the late delivery of three OPVs that should have been handed over to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in 2020.

Amanah Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa had then claimed there were signs of financial mismanagement in the RM738.9 million project.

MMEA director-general Zubil Mat Som had in the same month said the OPVs were still under construction and that the Covid-19 pandemic had contributed to the delay in the delivery of the vessels to MMEA.