Najib Spent $8billion On Armoured Vehicles

Rakyat diutamakan
Barisan Nasional beli kenderaan berharga 8 billion
8 billion = RM 8,000,000,000
8 billion = RM 1,000,000,000 X 8
8 billion = RM 1,000,000 x

Tony Pua slams BN's decision to buy 256 vehicles for 8 billion ringgit
by Hemananthani Sivanandam

KUALA LUMPUR (April 22, 2010): Opposition leaders are urging the government to review and cancel the contract to purchase 257 8x8 Armoured-Wheeled Vehicle (8x8 AWV) for an "astronomical" amount of RM8 billion.


Tony Pua










"We would like to state upfront that we are disgusted by the transaction. The amount is shocking as each of these non-combat vehicles is priced at a ridiculous RM31.1 million," said Tony Pua (DAP-PJ Utara).

On Tuesday, DRB-Hicom Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (Deftech)’s chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil announced at a press conference during the 12th Defence Services Asia 2010 Exhibition that the government has given Deftech a letter of intent, entrusting it to develop the 8x8 AWV programme with the support of the Defence Ministry, Malaysian Army and the Malaysian Defence Industry Council.

"We have an order for 257 8x8 AWV units but right now, we are going to come up with the prototypes meant for testing purposes by the army before we develop the whole range of armoured vehicles," Mohd Khamil was quoted saying.

Pua said the amount was shocking as other armoured vehicles in other countries cost far less.
"The Portugese army bought 353 Pandur II 8x8 armoured vehicles for the amount of 364 million euros (RM1.56billion) or an average of 1.03 million euros or only RM4.41 million each.

"In 2009, the U.S Army has awarded a US$2.2 billion contract to General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, one of the best military vehicle and equipment manufacturer in the world for 724 Light Armoured vehicles (LAV) equivalent of US$3.04 million or only RM9.9million each meant for Saudi Arabia.

"Even the best-in-class main battle tank produced in the United States , M1Abrams M1A2 deployed extensively in Iraq , Kuwait , Saudi Arabia and Australia cost only US$6.1 million or approximately RM19.7 million.

"Despite the price-tag, Deftech admits that they are only at the stage of developing a prototype. The prototype hasn’t been tested but the contract is already out" Pua told reporters at Parliament lobby today.
Pua also said the Barisan Nasional government is "clearly missing the woods for the trees" in the financial management of the country.

"At the same time when the Ministry of Finance has issued strict treasury circulars for all ministries to reduce their operational expenditure by as much as 20%, the Ministry (of Defence) commits to a purchase that completely mocks the attempt by the government to be thrifty," said Pua.

"We hope the Ministry of Defence will now inform us that this is another decimal point error in the contract value," said Pua jokingly. -- theSun

The question here is not whether we need the AWV but rather why are we paying exorbitant price (again!) for something not proven or tested ? Maybe somewhere, someone is getting huge commission for these purchases.

The longer we keep the present government, the faster the country will go bankrupt due to corruption. Then with diminished natural resources, human expertise (due to migration), lack of foreign investments and coupled by tidak-apa attitude of the people, how in this world can Malaysia survive ?