Issue on Eurocopter deal, who lied? – REF Malaysiakini November 3, 2008
Posted by nikmj in National, Politics, malaysiakini, news.Tags: eurocopter, malaysiakini, najib
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Last month many Malaysians were puzzled about the Eurocopter deal. Many top leaders involved and many news sites are publishing different explanations about the same real deal.
As quoted from Malaysiakini today’s news :
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has apologised for his mistake when citing the cost of the Eurocopter helicopters purchase, but added that the dispute over the figures is “academic” as the deal had been put off.
It seems like the deal is off, and the academic thing is the real figure.
However, the same issue as posted two days ago at Malaysiakini, Pak Lah told that the deal is put on hold as the country is facing the global economic crisis. He also noted that the purchase would be done not later than 2011.
In other words, Pak Lah is saying that we would definitely purchase the chopper, not now, but then it surely be done before 2011 and the figure is just academic.
Meanwhile on the issue of product test before purchase, the DPM, Najib who until last month held the Minister of Defence portfolio emphasised that the Eurocopter EC725 Cougar was not a new or ‘experimental’ aircraft. He noted that many countries had tested it out, including in combat in Afghanistan.
He said that Royal Malaysian Air Force pilots had tested it in local flight at the Langkawi International Marine Aerospace (Lima) show previously.
This statement is infact in contradict with the one unveiled by his deputy yesterday in the Parliament session.
Deputy Defence Minister, Datuk Abu Seman Yusop was quoted in The Sun as saying, “No test flights were done nor were there any factory visits“, in his winding up speech for the 2009 Budget.
On price discrepancy issue, the DFM said “The price was Euro323.7 million. That is the official figure. You can say what you want“. This quotation according to him had included the offset and technical support package together with foreign exchange fluctuations.
Well, that’s what was published on 31/10/08. How about the one reported by Bernama on 20/10/08? It says that the Cabinet had agreed that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) scrutinise the acquisition of the choppers to replace the ageing Nuri.
However, what was happening this week is totally different from what was reported last week. What happened to the PAC decision? or is it PAC cannot make decision?
It seems like the govt is trying to runaway with the question of why our purchase price per chopper is almost double the actual price the other country like Brazil had purchase. In deed, even the other cost had been included, when the quotation spread out, the cost per chopper shouldnt be too much different from market price.
What more, why purchase 12 choppers to replace the 40 sikorsky with that much money? Shouldnt it be more acceptable if that much amount of money to be used to purchase more less advance choppers for the sake of rakyat? After all, most of the time, the Nuris are being used as transportation rather than war?
So, the real issue now is, who really said the truth? Is the deal is ON or OFF? What happened to the half billion RM differences in the quoted price? Why Eurocopter? Why replace 40 with 12? Why all those ministers are talking differently on the same issue? Who really decide? PM, DPM, PAC? Why no Royal Commission is establish to clear the issue? Why? Why? Why?
To read the letter from Mentari Services to Najib complaining about the deal ambiguity, click this link
“najib said pac to scrutinise eurocopters acqiusition”in the first place najib should not be talking about this issue as he himself is part and parcel of the entire deal.As it is he should totally abstain and allow the investigations without hidden hands interfering in it.malaysians have every right to know how and why our money is spent.