KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) views seriously the delays in the construction of the littoral combat ships (LCS) belonging to the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).
Its chairperson Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said that the disclosure of the delays in the construction of the ships, which still requires careful and regular monitoring of progress, was both shocking and worrying.
She said that the progress of the LCS ships construction project was presented to the PAC today, in proceedings attended by Defence Ministry secretary-general, Datuk Seri Isham Ishak; LCS project leader, Admiral Franklin Jeyasekhar Joseph and Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd chief executive officer, Captain (Rtd) Azhar Jumaat.
“PAC wants the contractor, as well as the LCS project team, to take proactive steps to resolve the problem.
“This committee, however, welcomes Isham’s statement, that the Ministry of Defence will take immediate action to ensure that the delay issue can be addressed,” she said, in a statement today.
Mas Ermieyati said that the length of the delay in the construction of the LCS ships could not be disclosed now, due to compliance with Standing Order 85 of the Dewan Rakyat.
She said that the report on today’s proceedings will be presented in the Ministry of Defence’s follow-up action report on the PAC’s recommendations, regarding the LCS ships in the Dewan Rakyat sitting, which will convene from February 26. — Bernama
