SHAH ALAM: The LCS project, it appears is still in purgatory, waiting for the final decision by the Cabinet. Defence Minister DSU Mohamad Hasan told Parliament today that work on the LCS will only start after two issues are resolve first.
The two issues are the Cabinet memorandum and the international settlement agreement, those involving the foreign suppliers and contractors including Naval Group and others. Air Times report:
“Pada masa kini, MINDEF dalam fasa terakhir untuk memuktamadkan cadangan penerusan projek melalui penyediaan memorandum jemaah menteri yang akan dibentangkan dalam masa terdekat,
“Kita bentangkan kertas baharu kerana kerajaan ketika ini merupakan kerajaan baharu. Maka, kita bentangkan kertas ini kepada Jemaah menteri untuk meneruskan projek ini dan International Settlement Agreement) dimeterai dengan pihak ketiga, kita dapat meneruskan projek LCS,” katanya.
Menurut beliau, projek LCS telah dihentikan pada awal tahun 2018 dan usaha untuk meneruskan projek ini berhadapan dengan pelbagai isu termasuk tindakan undang-undang.
“Projek ini dihentikan pada awal tahun 2018 dan ia telah terhenti lama,
“Dan sekarang kita nak meneruskan (tetapi) banyak masalah-masalah operasi termasuk legal action (tindakan undang-undang),
“Alhamdulillah perkara ini dapat diselesaikan,” katanya.
It is interesting to note that Mohamad was reported as saying that the project stopped in early 2018. AFAIK it did not stopped in early 2018 as I went to BNS in late 2018 for the keel laying of one of the LCS. The PAC report said it was in November 2019. I will check the Hansard tomorrow to check whether it was a slip of the tongue by the Defence Minister or it was Air Times that got it wrong. Anyhow the statement by the minister also failed to resolve the biggest issue of the LCS project. What will it cost?
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (14)
Assalamuaikum. From my view, just settle it quickly, if additional funds please without hesitation allocate a sum for it to complete 6 ( not 5 ships ). Get it done with once and for all. Should any siphoning done by anyone please do take action on it concurrently. Just complete the 6 hulls even if assistance from naval group is deemed necessary, launched it soonest as possible for testing and deliver it to tldm soonest as possible and close the issue
Oh ya I read somewhere previously that tldm need 3 more sea base platform similar to bm5, 6 n tengku azizan. I'm curious about the status of all 3 earlier mentioned auxiliary vessels. Any one have an update on it ?
Any chances of both minded via tldm n this gomen campuran looking at procuring geared dry cargo vessels of say 120m long n convert it into an armed vessel for patrol with 50 cal,gpmg and a 20mm gun in front of the vessel for sea basing, radar Picket and support vessel for light force ? Say additional vessels to support not only in east Sabah, West Sabah and Sarawak,but also for usage in Peninsular Malaysia.
It is supposed to be the MRSS. No, idea really if its in the works
Defense Minister said 5 ships will cost total rm9 billion as reported by The Edge. I dunno what kind of magic they pull off but would really like to know the cost breakdown
https://www.theedgemarkets.com/node/655895
We know it will not
Basically all that level of decision made til the top got knocked down and has to start all over again thanks to the change of Government. Sigh...
The original decision to build the LCS was wrong that's the reason we are still trying to fix it
If not mistaken it was MMEA who wanted a sea base in the form of their mothership program rather than RMN.
Kamal - "Any chances of both minded via tldm n this gomen campuran looking at procuring geared dry cargo vessels of say 120m long"
Like the OSVs some are gaga about. More effective and practical to resort to networked sensors.
Zaft - "If not mistaken it was MMEA who wanted"
You are mistaken. Look it up. All the facts are there
Yes. Just like how the change in government has nothing to do with a new army chief and the K/A-50 being the leading contender; even if the former government was still in power there would still be a host of unresolved issues with the LCSs.
Marhalim - "The original decision to build the LCS was wrong that’s the reason we are still trying to fix it"
How to fix something that was already wrong since day 1? The best way to say it is the LCS project was planned to fail.
Canceling is the best option. Restart the program will give another unsatisfied result even if the ship is delivered that later we will say it should not be restarted.
Azlan "You are mistaken. Look it up. All the facts are there"
Not the first time RMN & MMEA duking it out to expand their turf.
Zaft - "Not the first time RMN & MMEA duking it out to expand their turf"
No it isn't and nobody said it was but as it stands you are incorrect in claiming that the MMEA who "as MMEA who wanted a sea base in the form of their mothership program rather than RMN".
A simple look at what the RMN does in ESSCOM and other areas and what the MMEA does would enable you to realise why the RMN needs "motherships".
Romeo - "The best way to say it is the LCS project was planned to fail"
No. "The best way to say it is" it was intended primarily for national interests - period/full stop. Or was intended to benefit the local industry as part of our longstanding policy of defence being part of the patronage system.
Getting the RMN the capability it needs and the taxpayers their cash worth was secondary.