KUCHING: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is still investigating the purchase of a DA42M-NG Diamond aircraft by the Sarawak Forestry Department which was approved by the Ministry of Finance in 2016 and purchased in Oct, 2017 under the 11th Malaysia Plan.
“The case is still under investigation. I cannot comment much due to the sensitivity of the case,” said MACC state director Razim Noor at a press conference after their ‘Majlis Mesra Bersama Media 2018’ event held at the Sarawak Islamic Information Centre here yesterday.
He revealed that the aircraft is currently parked in a neighbouring country while the investigation is going on.
Razim’s statement contradicted Sarawak Forest Department director Hamden Mohammad’s statement on Tuesday that the purchase of the aircraft will go ahead as planned. According to Hamden, the department is awaiting to sign the agreement letter for the delivery of the aircraft.
The aircraft he added is for the department and other agencies to conduct aerial surveillance on deforestation, illegal logging and floods as well as for mapping purposes.
MACC opened an investigation paper on the purchase of the aircraft following a police report lodged by Sarawak PKR vice-chairman See Chee How on its purchase price of RM35 million which he claimed was excessive .
In the report, See urged the police and the Ministry of Transport to investigate whether there were individuals or companies involved in the transaction of the aircraft. The twin-engine, propeller-driven airplane, developed and manufactured by Austrian company, Diamond Aircraft Industries, can accommodate two technicians and two pilots on each mission.
In response to See’s report Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh issued a statement on June 10 saying that the RM35 million was the total cost for the overall project that consisted of the aircraft, mission equipment, spare-parts, warranties, technical support and training for a period of five years.