KUALA LUMPUR: Some 200 people held a public demonstration today to protest the handling of the Royal Malaysian Navy's multi-billion ringgit Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) deal.
Youths wearing mostly black, holding banners and placards, gathered outside the Sogo Shopping Complex at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman to air their grouses over the issue.
The crowd began gathering around 1.45pm and swelled to around 200 despite the rain.
Five people, including Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, addressed the crowd on the issue.
Syed Sadiq lamented the costly purchase of the six vessels, which had dragged on for more than 10 years.
He said the ships, which were initially slated for delivery in 2017, had yet to be ready.
"A total of RM6 billion has been spent and yet, not a single ship is ready. The public should not be duped by claims that the ships are still under construction.
"The RM6 billion is money from the taxpayers and there is no reason why we should remain quiet," he said.
Also present were PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and Muda information chief Luqman Long.
Nik Nazmi said the LCS issue is the largest defence procurement for new equipment in Malaysia's history, yet it was being taken lightly.
"The way the government is handling the matter is as if buying a toy for a child. This can't happen.
"These ships are meant to ease the Navy's operation and safeguard our waters.
"We want answers. Those responsible must take responsibility," he said.
Nik Nazmi said the outrage over the Public Account Committee's findings that the government has already spent RM6.083 billion on the directly negotiated contract, despite the fact that not even one of the six LCS that were ordered has been delivered by Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS), was reasonable.
"The delay and issue regarding the LCS project had earlier been raised by the Dewan Rakyat's Special Select Committee On Defence and Home Affairs that I had chaired from December 2019 until December 2020. At that time I had initiated an inquiry into the project given the long wait.
"The Special Investigation Committee on Public Governance, Procurement and Finance was chaired by Tan Sri Ambrin Buang then.
"Ambrin told my committee that the-then government approached the project without any seriousness and that there was a lack of stewardship.
"Unfortunately, that was the time the change of government happened through the Sheraton Move and I was unable to publish my special select committee's report," he said.
Policemen at the gathering allowed the protesters to continue before the latter eventually dispersed around 3.30pm.