PUTRAJAYA: Newly-minted Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein didn’t hold back when he was asked to respond to criticisms made against him by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The former defence minister laughed at the allegations hurled at him while saying he would prefer to shift his attention to work.
This is in relation to Anwar’s Facebook post yesterday where he questioned the “purity” of the new cabinet which was announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday.
Anwar also questioned if the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had actually dissected all of the new Cabinet members to ensure they are free from any wrongdoings or corrupt practices.
At the same time, Anwar also mentioned about the six undelivered choppers costing more than RM300 million purchased by the Defence Ministry in 2016, at the time Hishammuddin was the minister.
To this, Hishammuddin said there was no reason for the matter to be brought up again since the Army chief Gen Tan Sri Ahmad Hasbullah Mohd Nawawi has said the issue was resolved.
“If that’s the best he (Anwar) can do, bring it on.
“Mindef is not just about helicopters and I have been called by the MACC on the helicopter issue and (Ahmad Hasbullah) has actually said that they (the army) are taking delivery of the helicopters by the end of the year.
“So, that is no longer an issue. If that is all that he (Anwar) has to say, I’d like to concentrate on issues related to the Foreign Affairs Ministry now,” he said.
Earlier this month, Ahmad Hasbullah said the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) is expected to take delivery of six new MD 530-G light combat helicopters by end of this year at the earliest.
According to him, a team comprising experts had been sent to the United States early last month to check on the configuration and technical details as well as to obtain flight certifications for the helicopters.
He also said that several tests would be carried out by the MAF team before the helicopters, made by US-based McDonnell Douglas, are brought home.