MINDEF Committed To Preserving MAF As Most Trusted Institution - Mohamed Khaled

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has stressed its commitment to preserving the credibility of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) as the nation’s most trusted institution through a comprehensive cleansing of any elements of misconduct and integrity breaches. 

Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said any issue involving the standing of the MAF would have implications for the country, and as such, the ministry has taken immediate damage control measures to ensure the armed forces’ credibility is not affected.

“During my New Year message, I stressed the stand and commitment of MINDEF and MAF to clear our name and restore the credibility of MAF.

“We are determined to eradicate all elements of wrongdoing and to provide full cooperation to the authorities such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to clear our name,” he said in reply to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Abdul Halim Suleiman during the oral question-and-answer session in Dewan Negara today. 

As part of governance recovery measures, he said the ministry is improving its procurement and implementation systems, including revamping a more transparent asset procurement process and strengthening it through digitalisation and artificial intelligence to reduce the risk of manipulation.

In addition, Mohamed Khaled reiterated his assurance that the directive to freeze procurement would not affect the MAF's readiness and operations, as the measure is temporary and has already been followed up with new guidelines by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in less than three weeks.

On Jan 16, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ordered that all MAF and Royal Malaysia Police procurement decisions linked to corruption issues be temporarily frozen until procurement procedures are fully complied with, following corruption and abuse of power controversies involving several former top military leaders.

Mohamed Khaled said among the conditions under the new governance framework set by MOF are cross-ministerial checks and balances, as well as enhanced technical and financial evaluation processes with a more competent composition of members not limited to user agencies alone.

He added that procurement of products involving overseas original equipment manufacturers must be carried out through international open tenders.

 “MOF also stipulates that procurement by way of quotation between RM300,000 and RM500,000 for supplies and services, and between RM300,000 and RM3 million for works, must be finalised at the procurement board level to be chaired by the ministry’s deputy secretary-general,” he said.

-- BERNAMA