PAC and Dewan Rakyat Speaker to visit LCS project on October 5
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold an official work visit with the Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul on October 5 in relation to the progress of the Second Generation Patrol Vessel Project — Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).
In a statement today, PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the aim of the visit was to enlighten the Dewan Rakyat Speaker on the shipbuilding project’s progress report for the term between October 2022 and May 2023, which will be presented in Parliament during the Third Meeting held next month.
“Accordingly, the PAC hopes that the Speaker will consider allowing the PAC report on the LCS project progress be debated in the Dewan Rakyat after the report is presented,” she said.
The PAC will table the progress report on the LCS project during the October-November meeting of the Dewan Rakyat.
It was reported that the PAC had recommended in its report tabled on August 4 last year that the Defence Ministry would have to provide a quarterly update on the status of the combat ships.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reportedly said on May 27 that the government had to complete the project as RM6 billion had already been spent on it.
The Finance Ministry has also taken over the company responsible for the project, Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS), via a special-purpose vehicle (SPV).
The PAC would also table several other reports including a report related to the concession of the Paddy and Rice Industry which was under the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, Covid-19 Outbreak Management Report: Expired Vaccines, Unusable and Surplus Personal Ventilator Equipment Protective Equipment (PPE) (to be determined at a later date) and report of the Minister of Finance (Incorporated) — FELCRA Berhad (on date to be set later).