KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 —The Defence Ministry has today reiterated that it is reviewing the procurement of a self-propelled howitzer (SPH) system for the Malaysian Army, as it was negotiated directly under the previous administration.

Its minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan denied that the purchase has been cancelled outright, saying he agrees with the move as it would benefit the end users of the artillery weapon.

"We need the SPH, especially our Army but we need to acquire it with an open tender so that it will follow the end users’ specifications.

"We don’t want to buy something that they will not use. It could be a waste if we do that,” he told reporters after a ministry event here.

Yesterday, defence news site Air Times reported that Mohamad had previously brought up the matter following Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan’s question on the issue in Parliament.

In a written reply, Mohammad had said: "The Ministry of Finance on January 16, 2023, decided that the proposed acquisition of SPH in consultation continues to be cancelled.

"Currently, the Ministry of Defence and the federal agencies are in discussions to implement the procurement of this equipment through a government-to-government deal.”

The ministry had previously produced a letter of intent of acquiring the 155mm Yavuz SPH from Turkiye’s government-owned defence manufacturer Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE).