SHAH ALAM: RM540 million for 6X6. Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu in an interview with the New Straits Times newspaper said that a sum of RM540 million is to be allocated to complement the 257 Deftech 8X8 Gempita in service with the Army. The article however did not indicate what the funds are to be allocated for however.

You can read the article itself here. Posted below is a screenshot of the relevant line.

The NST article, note the paragraph on the RM540 million,

While the article bothered to list out the full name of the Gempita, it appears that the RM540 million allocation was not important enough to warrant further explaination.

Gempita AFV30 variant of 1 Kor Armor Di Raja seen at the Kuantan airbase at the PAT first order on Jan 24, 2017.

It appears that my original assumption that the RM540 million was an allocation for the new KJA is completely wrong. I was informed that the Deputy Defence Minister Liew Chin Tong had explained the allocation in Parliament on Dec. 6 even though it was not concise enough.

Untuk menjawab soalan Yang Berhormat Senator Laksamana Pertama, jumlah peruntukan kewangan Kementerian Pertahanan untuk projek-projek tersebut adalah seperti berikut:
(i) kenderaan perisai 8×8 ialah sejumlah RM540 juta;
(ii) Helikopter MD-530G sejumlah RM40 juta bagi tahun 2020. Perolehan aset ini akan dipertimbangkan secara teliti dan akan diputuskan oleh Jemaah Menteri dalam masa yang terdekat; dan
(iii) littoral combat ship (LCS). Rancangan peruntukan perbelanjaan bagi tahun 2020 adalah berjumlah RM350 juta. Namun ia tertakluk kepada prestasi kemajuan projek berkenaan dan juga tertakluk kepada keputusan kementerian dan juga keputusan Jemaah Menteri.

Based on the above the RM540 allocation is likely the progress payment for Deftech for the Gempita though it was not stated for year. It is likely that the minister himself was referring to the same notes but failed to include what it was all about. As for RM350 million allocated for in 2020 for the LCS, it is also likely the progress payment for Boustead Naval Shipyard though it is subject to the progress of the project and approval from the Cabinet.

The deputy defence minister answer in Parliament also included the RM40 million payment for the MD530G light attack scout helicopter for next year though a final decision on whether or not to proceed with the project is also subject to a decision by the Cabinet. I have no idea whether the above was explained by Mohamad Sabu during his interview with the New Straits Times or it was excluded for brevity. Remind me not to get excited by anything published by NST in the future. And before I forget, Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating.

* Completely rewrittten to show the answers on the allocation in Parliament. I apologised for my mistake. That said I had written that I stand to be corrected and indeed I had!

–Malaysian Defence

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