Black Hawk out: Malaysia's king orders halt of chopper deal, warns officials not to 'fool' him

CNA

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has ordered the government to scrap its plan to procure Black Hawk helicopters that are over 30 years old, likening them to 'flying coffins'.
In hard-hitting comments on Saturday (Aug 16), the monarch also spoke out against 'agents and salesmen' in the Defence Ministry, warning them not to 'fool' him.
Speaking at a parade in Mersing marking the 60th Anniversary of Malaysia's Special Service Regiment, the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces reminded the defence ministry to 'not repeat past mistakes' in procurement.
He cited the country's purchase of SkyHawk aircraft in the 1980s as an example.
Malaysia had reportedly bought 88 such Vietnam War-era jets from the United States, of which only 40 were refurbished and put into service.
State news agency Bernama reported that the jets were later retired due to a high accident rate.
'Are we going to put our pilots in 'flying coffins'? Think for yourselves,' said Sultan Ibrahim.
'I believe that all of this happens because the defence ministry is full of agents or former generals who have become salesmen. We even have textile firms wanting to sell us drones.
'If we have to follow the middleman's (inflated) price in every procurement, then the existing allocation won't be sufficient. So don't try to fool me. If you don't want to listen to me, I won't reprimand you anymore after this,' he said, in comments that were posted on his official Facebook page.
Johor's Regent Tunku Ismail – the king's son – as well as Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Malaysian Armed Forces chief Mohd Nizam Jaffar and army chief Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan were also present at Saturday's event, Bernama reported.
Media reports said that Malaysia had signed a deal in May 2023 to lease four Black Hawk helicopters from a local firm called Aerotree Defence and Services for RM187 million (US$44.4 million) over five years.
Some reports said that Malaysia's Ministry of Defence cancelled the contract in November last year after the company failed to deliver the aircraft despite three revisions in dates.
In March this year, Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari was reported as saying that his ministry is reassessing the best procurement approach for Black Hawk helicopters.
He added that the evaluation would look at the previous leasing model or a government-to-government agreement, with a decision to be made this year.
"We need to review the current process, especially in terms of pricing, as we recognise this as a necessity for the ministry. Several steps must be taken before determining the best acquisition method and expediting the process," he was quoted as saying by news outlet New Straits Times.
On Saturday, the king said that those involved in military procurement must ensure that evaluations are done transparently, and not merely on the suggestions of agents or those with vested interests.
'Don't waste time purchasing nonsense that does not fit the military's needs. If you don't know what the actual (market) price is, ask me first,' he said.
He added that five years ago, he had questioned the purchase of rigid raiding craft for commandos at RM5 million when he could have sourced a better boat for under RM2 million.
'Recently, I heard there was a proposal to buy a similar boat but in a larger size, at nearly RM10 million. This makes no sense and must be carefully reviewed,' Sultan Ibrahim said.
Following the king's remarks, defence minister Khaled said that his ministry will ensure that the modernisation of Malaysia's defence assets will be in line with the needs of its armed forces. This also applies to the Special Service Regiment.
"Honouring the decree of His Majesty, the Defence Ministry will continue to place emphasis on the readiness of the armed forces," he said, as quoted by New Straits Times.