Yesterday, the Star carried a letter by an ex-airman contending that “We don’t need the Eurocopter”.
He wrote:
“AS an ex-RMAF serviceman for 22 years, I believe I am qualified to comment on our government’s insistence on purchasing the Eurocopters. Worse still, without any physical tests. “Buying the Eurocopter for use in Malaysia is like buying an F1 for use in Petaling Jaya; or a Rolls Royce for use in a remote kampung. “This chopper is such a sophiscated machine, it is not meant for the normal role of a helicopter. I still see the Aloutte and Nuri (Sea King) in service in other countries. “Eurocopter is more a combat helicopter. Who do we want to fight anyway? Why use it for search and rescue or during flood relief operations? Other choppers can do that just as well or even better! “The Eurocopter is expensive. So are the training, spare-parts, servicing, accessories or role changes and armoury. Can we afford the subsequent costs of parts and modern armoury? “You don’t buy such a sophisticated machine without evaluation. By first going through its built-in purpose, the subsequent cost of training for pilots and ground crews, availability and cost of spare parts, etc. “Saying that the Alouettes and Nuris are old and obsolete is no justification for buying a machine that will not be fully utilised. “Just buying the armoury to go with the machine will cost a bomb! Buying the Eurocopter just to show off is downright arrogant!”
As the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had concluded its “rush” inquiry into the RM1.6 billion Cougar EC725 Eurocopter helicopters, can the PAC Chairman Datuk Azmi Khalid answer the questions posed by this former RMAF personnel?
Of course, he is unable to do so, as the PAC inquiry led by Azmi was not to conduct an in-depth inquiry into all aspects of the helicopter deal, including whether the choice of the Cougar EC725 and the phasing out of the Nuris were valid and in the best interests of the RMAF personnel; the technical, offset and price differentials of the seven bidders as well as the propriety of the whole tender process, such as whether, how much and the who’s with regard to mega defence commissions for the helicopter deal.
As I made it clear in Parliament during the debate on the Prime Minister’s Department on Wednesday (Nov. 5, 2008), Azmi had brought disrepute and odium to the PAC in his “rush” to whitewash the Eurocopter deal to enable the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Rahman to claim in Parliament in his November 4 budget winding-up that the Eurocopter deal had been cleared by PAC.
This is most improper and irregular as the PAC has not submitted its report to Parliament – raising the question whether Azmi was serving PAC, Parliament or the Finance Minister.
This was why I called on Azmi to step down as PAC Chairman.
My exchange with Azmi in Parliament over his disgraceful role as PAC Chairman can be followed in this video clip.