Special Functions Minister Records Police Statement Against Rafizi’s Controversial LCS Claims

Mersing MP Dr Abd Latiff Ahmad had claimed that PKR No. 2 Rafizi Ramli has issued several defamatory statements linking him with the controversial LCS project.

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Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Dr Abd Latiff Ahmad has his statement recorded by the police with regards to a report that was lodged by his aide against PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli.

The police report, according to The Vibes, was lodged on 30 August following Rafizi’s allegation linking Latif with the controversial littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal.

The report was lodged by Latiff’s aide, Sayed Ahmad Mui’izzuddin Al-Sayed Mohamad at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Inside the report, Latiff’s aide claimed that Rafizi has issued several defamatory statements, including claiming that a woman named Zainab Mohd Salleh who was said to have obtained the LCS project, is Latiff’s wife.

The Mersing MP however denied the matter and repeatedly stated that he is ready to give full cooperation with the authorities to corroborate his statement.

Rafizi had also alleged that are also several other defence contracts involving companies that were linked to the Latiff during his time as the deputy defence minister between 2008 and 2013.

LCS is the largest procurement in the history of the Ministry of Defence with a total cost of RM9 billion

The project was handed to Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) in 2013 – through direct negotiation – which in return is supposed to build and deliver six LCS ships by the end of 2023.

According to the project’s initial timeline, five of those LCS ships were supposed to have already been completed and delivered in August 2022.

However, with RM6.083 billion being paid to the contractor so far, none of the LCS ships had been completed while the project cost had overrun by RM1.4 billion, as per the finding of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Several high-profile individuals were also linked to the scandal, where they allegedly played a role in siphoning and abusing their power in the purchase dealing of these ships.

Former Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) chief Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor had been charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust over the LCS scandal.