Najib: No cover up in missing jet engine case | theSundaily

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Law Speak - Chinas grand
strategy
LAW SPEAK

Posted on 22 December 2009 - 02:46am

IN my last Law Speak column I

wrote of the US grand strategy

PUTRAJAYA (dec 21, 2009) : Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said today there was
no cover-up of the case of the missing F-5E fighter jet engine owned by the Royal Malaysian Air

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Force (RMAF).

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Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak chairing the 6th Malaysian Aerospace Council
(MAC) meeting. Also present (from left) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed,
Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili and Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Najib, who was Defence Minister at the time the theft was discovered, said the ministry reported the
matter to the police immediately after realising the disappearance.
"Mindef took the position that we had to address this and take necessary action, even criminal
action, against those involved. To the credit of the RMAF and Mindef, there was no intention of
covering up at all. In fact, we went forward to the police. At that time I was minister in charge. I

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decided we should report it to the police," he said.

Speaking after chairing the 6th Malaysian Aerospace Council (MAC) meeting here, he said the
ministry cooperated with the police in the investigation and would continue to do so.
The engine, reportedly worth about RM50 million, was detected missing in 2007 from the Matra 1
Warehouse at the Sungai Besi Airbase.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had reportedly said the engine was sold to an
international company based in South Africa which was believed to have hired an agent to bring it
out of the country.
The police said they had arrested four individuals, including RMAF officers.
It was also reported that a brigadier-general and 40 other armed forces personnel were sacked late
last year over alleged involvement in the case.
Those sacked lost their pension and other benefits as former servicemen while others had to opt for
early retirement but the brigadier-general reportedly retained his pension and other retirement
benefits.
Asked why the brigadier-general retained his benefits, Najib said: "It depends on what he has done
wrong. Its up to the air force and armed forces council to decide on that. We will wait until the full
report comes out."
In George Town, Bukit Bendera member of Parliament Liew Chin Tong called for an external
investigation on the disappearance of the F-5E fighter engine.

Liew Chin Tong

Liew, who also chairs the Pakatan Rakyat Shadow Committee for Defence, said there is a need to
either establish a Parliamentary Select Committee or a Royal Commission, on this matter.
He said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's proposed internal inquiry is grossly
inadequate.
"Internal inquiries in this country notoriously ensure the chain of responsibility does not extend
beyond low-ranking scapegoats," he said in a press statement today.
"An external inquiry is required not only to determine the details of this shocking incident but also to

2 Feb 16 8:17 AM

Najib: No cover up in missing jet engine case | theSundaily

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http://www.thesundaily.my/node/147948

uncover the conditions in our armed forces that allowed this to happen. It would reveal where
accountability for such an incident should fall so appropriate action can be taken against those
responsible," he said.
Liew said the implications of this case strike at the heart of the security sector of the nation.
"No one knows how many other military assets are stolen in this manner. This fighter jet engine
could just be the tip of the iceberg," he said.
He added that the external inquiry must also determine if the fighter jet engine and other military
assets were transferred to undesirable parties including Iran, potentially posing dangerous global
consequences.

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2 Feb 16 8:17 AM