KUALA LUMPUR - The Defence Ministry (MINDEF) today stressed that the Attorney-Generals Chambers (AGC) were actively involved and had given its full cooperation in finalising the sixth supplementary agreement (SA6) for the construction of littoral combat ships (LCS).
In a statement today, the ministry explained that a series of discussions and meetings regarding the SA6 draft had taken place since last April, after the decision on the direction of the project was approved by the Cabinet on April 19.
The ministry said that as a result, it had received comments from the AGC through a letter dated May 24, 2023, where four main issues were raised, namely Progress Payment Plan, Integrated Logistic Support, Detailed Design dan Liquidated Ascertained Damages, along with recommendations other amendments.
"The ministry has taken all these matters into account and relevant amendments have been made accordingly.
"Therefore, the SA6 was signed after taking into account the comments of the AGC and also the views of the previous PAC (the Public Accounts Committee) report as well as the Committee on Governance, Procurement and Finance Investigation," the statement read.
The statement was issued following an article published on a news portal titled "PAC criticises Mindef for signing LCS deal without AGC approval", which was allegedly quoted from the PAC report on the progress of the LCS project from October 2022 to May 2023, which was tabled in Parliament yesterday.
The ministry also denied claims that there was no progress in LCS construction from the 14th PAC visit in December 2021 until the 15th PAC visit in June this year
"This was due to the government's approval of the project continuation plan on April 19, which, among others, saw the construction begin in September 2023 after a three-month mobilisation period by Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd," it said = BERNAMA
In a statement today, the ministry explained that a series of discussions and meetings regarding the SA6 draft had taken place since last April, after the decision on the direction of the project was approved by the Cabinet on April 19.
The ministry said that as a result, it had received comments from the AGC through a letter dated May 24, 2023, where four main issues were raised, namely Progress Payment Plan, Integrated Logistic Support, Detailed Design dan Liquidated Ascertained Damages, along with recommendations other amendments.
"The ministry has taken all these matters into account and relevant amendments have been made accordingly.
"Therefore, the SA6 was signed after taking into account the comments of the AGC and also the views of the previous PAC (the Public Accounts Committee) report as well as the Committee on Governance, Procurement and Finance Investigation," the statement read.
The statement was issued following an article published on a news portal titled "PAC criticises Mindef for signing LCS deal without AGC approval", which was allegedly quoted from the PAC report on the progress of the LCS project from October 2022 to May 2023, which was tabled in Parliament yesterday.
The ministry also denied claims that there was no progress in LCS construction from the 14th PAC visit in December 2021 until the 15th PAC visit in June this year
"This was due to the government's approval of the project continuation plan on April 19, which, among others, saw the construction begin in September 2023 after a three-month mobilisation period by Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd," it said = BERNAMA