KUALA LUMPUR: Rafizi Ramli wants Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to provide more explanation on several issues related to the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) issue.
The PKR deputy president said this was due to the contradicting statements made by Hishammuddin and Malaysian Armed Forces Chief General Tan Sri Affendi Buang.
"Hishammuddin stating that the first LCS will start operation in one or two years, means that it is expected to be handed over in 2023 or 2024.
"This is contradictory to the statement by General Tan Sri Affendi Buang who said that the first ship will be handed over in January 2026, second one in September 2026, third ship in May 2027, fourth ship in January 2028 and the fifth one in September 2028.
"As such, I urge Hishammuddin to explain to the public how many combat ships are actually to be built under the contract with Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd and when will the ships be handed over to the Royal Malaysia Navy.
"What is the actual cost to complete all the ships? This is imperative as the delay of LCS has put our military behind other countries in the region. What more, the ships were designed and built using technology a decade ago," he said in his blog today.
Yesterday, Hishammuddin said his Ministry would provide updates on the delayed LCS construction project next week.
The Public Accounts Committee's findings revealed there were discrepancies and delays in the RM9 billion LCS construction project since 2017.
The contract was awarded to BNS via direct negotiation, with the government paying RM6.083 billion, but not one LCS has been delivered thus far.
According to the declassified report by the governance, procurement, and finance investigation committee, the cost of completing the six LCS may balloon to RM11.145 billion.