Malay Mail
Azreen Hani
Azreen Hani
PETALING JAYA: Minister in Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz has rubbished Pakatan Rakyat's call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the theft of military jet engines as well as claims made about former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the book Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times.
Nazri, who was in China when contacted by The Malay Mail, said, "We don't have to entertain such demands. We have the relevant authorities to investigate this. If everything has to go through a Royal Commission, then what's the use of the A-G's (Attorney-General's) Chambers?" he asked.
Nazri, who was in China when contacted by The Malay Mail, said, "We don't have to entertain such demands. We have the relevant authorities to investigate this. If everything has to go through a Royal Commission, then what's the use of the A-G's (Attorney-General's) Chambers?" he asked.
"They (the Opposition) keep asking for royal commissions to be set up. Don't they have anything better to work on?"
Investigations were still in progress in the case of the jet engines theft, he said, adding that the people should wait for the findings before making any conclusion.
"We should just wait and let the investigation be completed."
On Sunday, it was reported that Pakatan Rakyat wanted a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the theft of two F5 jet engines and the related components-for-sale racket, as Pakatan leaders deemed the latest scandal an indication of the "corrupt" Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
"We are asking for a royal commission to investigate the scandal," an online news portal quoted Pakatan leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as saying.
Two J85-GE-21 jet engines that power the F5 fighters were stolen from two Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) facilities in 2007 while some components from the same planes are also unaccounted for.
The Malay Mail had reported that some personnel implicated in the F5 jet components for sale racket had accepted RM200 "to look the other way" when the components were taken out of the Sungai Besi air base.
They were said to have been bribed by a man working for a local aviation company, described as the mastermind of the racket.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.
The same news portal also quoted DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as saying a royal commission was needed because RMAF had admitted the theft was just the “tip of the iceberg”.
“Up to now, we do not know how many such engines or other military equipment were stolen. That is why a Royal Commission of Inquiry must be established (to look) into the RM50 million RMAF F5E fighter jet engine theft, integrity of arms purchases and security of our military bases,” said Lim, who is also Penang Chief Minister.
On Dec 21, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang in his blog urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to set up a royal commission to investigate whether Dr Mahathir had “wasted or burned up” RM100 billion on grandiose projects and corruption during his 22 years as prime minister.
The claim was made in Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times, authored by Australian Barry Wain. Copies of the book are with the Home Ministry, which is yet to decide whether to ban it.
However, on Dec 22, Dr Mahathir in his blog Che Det welcomed the call for a royal inquiry and said he would cooperate fully with the commission.
In order for the inquiry to be successful, he said, the government should give the commission full access to all documents and accounts of the government over the period 1981-2009.
"There should be no cover-up of any kind," Dr Mahathir wrote, adding that at the same time, Wain should provide documents to prove that he had "burned" RM100 billion on corruption and wasteful projects.
Investigations were still in progress in the case of the jet engines theft, he said, adding that the people should wait for the findings before making any conclusion.
"We should just wait and let the investigation be completed."
On Sunday, it was reported that Pakatan Rakyat wanted a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the theft of two F5 jet engines and the related components-for-sale racket, as Pakatan leaders deemed the latest scandal an indication of the "corrupt" Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
"We are asking for a royal commission to investigate the scandal," an online news portal quoted Pakatan leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as saying.
Two J85-GE-21 jet engines that power the F5 fighters were stolen from two Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) facilities in 2007 while some components from the same planes are also unaccounted for.
The Malay Mail had reported that some personnel implicated in the F5 jet components for sale racket had accepted RM200 "to look the other way" when the components were taken out of the Sungai Besi air base.
They were said to have been bribed by a man working for a local aviation company, described as the mastermind of the racket.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.
The same news portal also quoted DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as saying a royal commission was needed because RMAF had admitted the theft was just the “tip of the iceberg”.
“Up to now, we do not know how many such engines or other military equipment were stolen. That is why a Royal Commission of Inquiry must be established (to look) into the RM50 million RMAF F5E fighter jet engine theft, integrity of arms purchases and security of our military bases,” said Lim, who is also Penang Chief Minister.
On Dec 21, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang in his blog urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to set up a royal commission to investigate whether Dr Mahathir had “wasted or burned up” RM100 billion on grandiose projects and corruption during his 22 years as prime minister.
The claim was made in Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times, authored by Australian Barry Wain. Copies of the book are with the Home Ministry, which is yet to decide whether to ban it.
However, on Dec 22, Dr Mahathir in his blog Che Det welcomed the call for a royal inquiry and said he would cooperate fully with the commission.
In order for the inquiry to be successful, he said, the government should give the commission full access to all documents and accounts of the government over the period 1981-2009.
"There should be no cover-up of any kind," Dr Mahathir wrote, adding that at the same time, Wain should provide documents to prove that he had "burned" RM100 billion on corruption and wasteful projects.
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