JOHOR BAHRU, Feb 21 — The Defence Ministry (MINDEF) will make improvements to the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) asset procurement system following a freeze on procurement funds.
Its minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the new measures were agreed upon after recent discussions with the Finance Ministry (MOF).
He said future procurement committees must include representatives from across the services, rather than from a single branch, to enhance transparency and ensure proper checks and balances.
“For example, if a procurement is carried out by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), the committee must also include representatives from other services such as the Army or the Air Force,” he told reporters after attending the Back-to-School Aid Programme for the Pasir Gudang parliamentary constituency here today.
Khaled added that procurement of equipment from abroad must first undergo an open international tender to avoid the involvement of agents that could hike costs.
He said the MOF has also set a condition requiring a representative from the Home Ministry to sit on the tender board for major procurements involving MINDEF.
Meanwhile, he assured that the freeze does not affect the MAF’s operational readiness.
Items exempted include food supplies for personnel on duty, as well as essential logistics such as vehicle fuel and spare parts.
“When personnel are deployed for operations, they need food supplies. Vehicles also require fuel and spare parts. These items have been requested to be exempted from the freeze,” he said.
On January 16, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim directed that all MAF and PDRM procurement decisions linked to corruption issues be temporarily frozen until procedures are fully complied with.
The freeze followed controversy involving alleged corruption and abuse of power by several former top leaders of the armed forces.
