SHAH ALAM: IT appears that the leasing of helicopters for the military and other government agencies is likely to go ahead despite the RM16.5 billion plus change cost for 18 years. I am correcting this to 18 years as this was the first figure published on the Hansard (the official transcript). Further down in the Hansard the leasing period is stated as 15 years. Of course, 15 years is the correct leasing period.

Defence Minister DS Khaled Nordin told Parliament about the costs and leasing period during his initial budget round-up on Thursday. He did not say the deal will go through but the fact he confirmed the cost meant that it is likely to be green lighted.

Khaled also told Parliament further details of the leasing deal may need to be expounded in the privileged committee of the Dewan Rakyat and not in the normal, public session or via a written answer (though this will be made public). Even if the minister did not want to give yearly cost breakdown, a check on the calculator showed the annual payment will be around RM919 million, for 18 years or RM1.1 billion if its 15 years or some RM76 million (18 years, RM91 million if its 15 years plus change a month).

This means that we could make the full payment for the 12 CSAR helicopters originally to be procured for some RM2.8 billion within three years. The normal payment schedule – a 10 per cent payment (RM280 million – when the LOA is awarded, another 20 to 30 per cent (RM500 million plus change, this depends on the LOA, the quantum and if needed) within 12 months as progress payment. The final payment is usually paid when delivery is completed ( within 24 to 36 months after the LOA was signed)

Parliament published the Hansard – the official transcript – of the November 7 session on Friday (November 8) afternoon. Even though I managed to download the transcript and read it shortly after, I was unable to publish it until today. I apologise for the delay. It is interesting to note that I had mentioned that the leasing proposal was for utility helicopters, but it had now included RMAF requirements for CSAR helicopters (the Nuri replacement programme). These CSAR helicopters were supposed to be procured outright. He did not name the helicopters though.

Khaled also did not state that the Army will also lease helicopters but since the plan was always to lease them, there was no need for him to say anything about it. Anyhow the leasing proposal was for the Army to lease twelve helicopters, but apparently it was swapped to RMAF. As I had mentioned in another post, it is likely that Army will also have twelve leased helicopters – also AW149s – with the four originally sought in 2022 as its’ requirement is for twelve aircraft. It would be hilarious if they decided to buy the other eight helicopters, of course.

Maka, bagi menjawab persoalan Yang Berhormat Tanah Merah tentang perolehan sewaan helikopter bagi kegunaan pasukan udara Tentera Darat dan penganugerahan kontrak sewaan helikopter Black Hawk kepada syarikat Aerotree Defence and Services Sdn. Bhd., saya ingin kongsikan bahawa proses perolehan ini sebenarnya telah bermula pada tahun 2022. Ia diiklankan pada 15 Julai 2022 hingga 11 Ogos 2022 dan dibentangkan dalam Lembaga Perolehan pada Oktober 2022. Pada masa itu, Yang Berhormat Tanah Merah sendiri merupakan Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan. Jadi, soalan itu boleh dijawab oleh Yang Berhormat sendiri kerana pada ketika itu Yang Berhormat adalah Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan.

Yang Berhormat Pendang pula telah menyentuh mengenai perolehan helikopter melalui kaedah Government Operate, Company Own and Maintain. Ini tadi yang disoalkan oleh Yang Berhormat. Sebagai makluman Yang Berhormat, perolehan secara pajakan aset ini merupakan kali pertama umpamanya dibuat dan dilaksanakan oleh Unit Kerjasama Awam Swasta, Jabatan Perdana Menteri. Perolehan ini melibatkan kontrak bernilai RM16.546 bilion untuk tempoh sewaan selama 18 tahun. Ia melibatkan 28 unit helikopter dan akan memberi manfaat bukan sahaja kepada ATM, tetapi juga agensi-agensi keselamatan negara yang lain. Pecahan pengguna adalah seperti berikut, dua untuk TLDM, 12 untuk TUDM, tujuh untuk Polis Diraja Malaysia, empat untuk Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia, dua untuk Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia dan satu untuk kegunaan Jabatan Perdana Menteri.

Tujuan utama adalah untuk memenuhi keperluan agensi pengguna menjalankan operasi udara harian dan misi-misi tertentu selain daripada peperangan. Kerajaan berpandangan bahawa kos tersebut adalah wajar kerana ia merangkumi pembekalan helikopter, perlindungan insurans, perkhidmatan maintenance, repair dan overhaul termasuk dengan alat-alat gantian dan simpanan, kursus dan latihan serta penyelenggaraan luar pangkalan. Melalui kaedah ini, isu utama yang akan diatasi adalah masalah ketersediaan dan kesiagaan pesawat-pesawat helikopter sedia ada. Melalui kontrak pajakan ini, pihak syarikat perlu memastikan tahap ketersediaan dan kesiapsiagaan helikopter yang dibekalkan adalah pada tahap minimum 85 peratus dan agensi-agensi mendapat jaminan jam penerbangan mengikut keperluan masing-masing. Apabila ia melalui konsep pajakan ini, maka ia bermakna pihak end user seperti ATM dan perkhidmatan di dalamnya tak perlu untuk memberi kontrak MRO ataupun membeli spare DR. 7.11.2024 118 part dan sebagainya.

Semua dikendalikan oleh syarikat yang melakukan pajakan ini. Pajakan ini adalah pajakan to own. Maknanya selepas 15 tahun, kerajaan diberi pilihan untuk membeli kesemua 28 unit aset tersebut pada harga nominal RM1 sahaja yang mana selepas 15 tahun, penggunaan setiap aset tersebut dianggarkan bernilai antara RM30 juta hingga RM50 juta seunit. Tetapi, kerajaan ditawarkan hanya membeli RM1 walaupun satu unit itu antara RM30 juta hingga RM50 juta. Datuk Wan Saifulruddin bin Wan Jan [Tasek Gelugor]: Yang Berhormat, sedikit. Adakah pihak kerajaan dibolehkan mendedahkan kos sebenar per month pajakan tersebut dan kos keseluruhan yang akan ditanggung oleh kerajaan sepanjang tempoh pajakan? Adakah boleh didedahkan di dalam Dewan? Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin: Semua rundingan itu dibuat oleh UKAS, sama ada ia boleh didedah, kita mungkin sama ada bangkitkan masa jawatankuasa ataupun kita beri jawapan secara bertulis. Puan Yang di-Pertua,

Khaled was given 45 minutes for his budget round up speech though he basically did not touched the funding for the ministry. This is because most of the questions posed by parliamentarians were on the leasing of helicopters, Kuwaiti Hornets procurement and issues with the RMN. When it was about the RMN, that Khaled commented on the LMS Batch 2.

Atas sebab itulah, dan begitu juga LCS walaupun design daripada Perancis, tetapi LCS dibuat di Malaysia. Begitu juga apabila kita buat dan tempat tiga literal mission ship daripada Turkiye, kita sepatutnya dalam perancangan kita mempunyai 18. Mungkin 15 itu kita akan buat di Malaysia.

*Updated the leasing period to 18 years and 15 years as reflected in the Hansard. This could be a mistake by transcript officer or the minister misspoke.

–Malaysian Defence

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