Cougar EC725

Pa Lah gave a wrong statement again and this is not the first time. Latently he gave a wrong figure on the purchase of Cougar EC725. Pa Lah had said that the purchase price was RM1.7 billion, and not RM2.3 billion as reported earlier. Then again he clarified the price was RM1.607 billion and apologise for the wrong figure. What make me amuse was not his wrong figures but his decision to defer the procurement. Cabinet have decided to replace the Nuri since it was outdated technology and caused numerous lives. The Cougar mean to replace Nuri and to save our Air Force pilot’s and crews life, unfortunately Pa Lah “call off” the replacement project without consulting the Cabinet members. Air Force pilot was left without any options and they have to fly Nuri without any guarantee for their life. The justification to defer was very loose because the project was approved by Finance Ministry which Pa Lah was the then Finance Minister. Why can’t Pa Lah reject it at the first place if slumber financial situation was the major justification? Why he need to defer after taking over the Defence Ministry if the procurement process was in-order? Even the opposition didn’t query about the purchase but what makes them mad was the process of purchasing which involved commission and overpaid issues. I believe Health, Education and National Security should be considered out of the economy justification. Economy positions shall be one reason but it shall not be used as total justification. The call-off definitely means to demonise Najib’s image [his image is already down to the drain] and to stop the payment of commission to Rosmah. But then we shall not put our pilot’s life in danger. The best Pa Lah can do is to declare the ill process of purchasing and re-tender the replacement project. Don’t expect our military men to update their military capability if you fail to cater their physical capability with latest military technology.