KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — Just hours after Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid presented the body’s findings on the missing jet engines, a member of the committee dismissed Azmi’s conclusion that ruled out the involvement of high ranking Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) officers.
“There was no such conclusion, that was only Azmi’s conclusion and most importantly there was no discussion to rule out the involvement of senior officers,” said PAC member who spoke on condition of anonimity.
“Those present were senior officers, so how can we just take their evidence at face value?” he added.
The PAC man also said that the committee will only make its conclusion on the case tomorrow.
He also disputed Azmi’s insistence that each engine only cost about RM300,000.
“It was bought in 1970s at about RM300,000 but now the engine is no longer available, so definitely there is a market value,” he said.
Earlier today the PAC met defence ministry officials for the second time to investigate the missing of two F-5E jet engines.
Among those present today were Defence Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Abdullah and the RMAF Chief General Datuk Rodzali Daud.
At the press conference after the inquiry, Azmi said the missing engines were merely a result of well planned theft made with assistance of insiders.
The two F-5E jet engines went missing in 2007 and was discovered missing one year later before a police report was lodged.
RMAF Sergeant N Tharmendran and company director Rajandran Prasad have been charged early this month in connection with the theft.
Malaysia bought 14 F-5Es in 1974 and decommissioned them in 1999. One crashed in the Malacca Strait near Perak on May 31, 1995.
Only six of the jets are operational after they came back to service in 2003
“There was no such conclusion, that was only Azmi’s conclusion and most importantly there was no discussion to rule out the involvement of senior officers,” said PAC member who spoke on condition of anonimity.
“Those present were senior officers, so how can we just take their evidence at face value?” he added.
The PAC man also said that the committee will only make its conclusion on the case tomorrow.
He also disputed Azmi’s insistence that each engine only cost about RM300,000.
“It was bought in 1970s at about RM300,000 but now the engine is no longer available, so definitely there is a market value,” he said.
Earlier today the PAC met defence ministry officials for the second time to investigate the missing of two F-5E jet engines.
Among those present today were Defence Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Abdullah and the RMAF Chief General Datuk Rodzali Daud.
At the press conference after the inquiry, Azmi said the missing engines were merely a result of well planned theft made with assistance of insiders.
The two F-5E jet engines went missing in 2007 and was discovered missing one year later before a police report was lodged.
RMAF Sergeant N Tharmendran and company director Rajandran Prasad have been charged early this month in connection with the theft.
Malaysia bought 14 F-5Es in 1974 and decommissioned them in 1999. One crashed in the Malacca Strait near Perak on May 31, 1995.
Only six of the jets are operational after they came back to service in 2003
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