Translate
21 February 2019
Army Bases Built To Help Politician Win During Elections, Minister Elaborates on MINDEFs RM500 million loss from swap land deals
Mat Sabu: Army bases built to secure politicians’ positions
Thursday, 21 Feb 2019
by zakiah koya
PETALING JAYA: The Defence Ministry (Mindef) had in the past swapped land and built army bases in four areas despite opposition from the armed forces because “politicians needed to secure their positions”, according to minister Mohamad Sabu.
He said the armed forces at that time opposed the building of four army bases in Hutan Melintang in Perak, Segamat and Paloh in Johor and Bera in Pahang, but Mindef went ahead anyway.
“The army bases were set up to move army personnel voters. The armed forces had said there was no need for an army base in those four places but Mindef ignored these protests and went ahead, essentially to ensure a vote bank so that certain politicians could continue to win their parliamentary constituencies in the past general elections,” he alleged.
“We are not against land swaps in Mindef as sometimes, that is a wise decision because prime land can be exchanged for better housing land elsewhere on which we can build better facilities for our army personnel.
“However, these land swaps that we complained about are the ones politicians profited from by moving army personnel for their own gain, despite opposition from the army itself,” Mohamad said when contacted yesterday.
He pointed out that this was an abuse of power and authority for selfish personal reasons.
“If these land swaps were done according to proper planning and the developers were selected properly, Mindef would not have lost so much money.
image: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/02/21/land-was-swapped-for-votes-mat-sabu-army-bases-built-to-secure-politicians-positions/~/media/ff4910d757e0483c8ba07bc1743216f8.ashx?h=341&&w=250
Mohamad: Armed forces had opposed building of four army bases in Perak, Johor and Pahang.
“However, they were done in a haphazard manner and Mindef lost about half a billion ringgit,” he said.
The minister was elaborating on his announcement on Tuesday that Mindef had lost over RM500mil from several land swap deals involving plots worth RM4.75bil.
He said they had received the report from the Governance, Procurement and Finance Investigating Committee led by former Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang on the land swap deals, which was discussed in a Cabinet meeting on Feb 13.
“The committee investigated 16 deals involving 1,286ha of land belonging to the ministry. In addition to the land value, the cost of the projects are estimated to be RM4.88bil,” said Mohamad.
Last year, prior to the 14th General Election, electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 had reported that thousands of army personnel were being moved into army camps under construction and being registered as postal voters in that area.
They had named the stated four army camps and questioned why army personnel who did not live there before were being allowed to vote in the area.
A source formerly with the army said those involved in the alleged deals were from the higher ranks.
“Some of them were retired generals and it is sad that their obedience is more to politicians than to the King and country, as all army personnel are supposed to be,” said the source.
Retired army generals also said that while moving bases does not compromise security, it should be done wisely and according to the needs of the country’s security.
Lt-Jen (Rtd) Datuk Seri Zaini Mohd Said said as necessary as it is for army bases to be moved now and then, bases should only be moved with the right justification which do not impinge on national security.
He said army personnel were professionals and should the country’s security be compromised, they would not take it sitting down.
“In the end, what is important is that the integrity of the armed forces is not compromised,” he said.
image: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/02/21/land-was-swapped-for-votes-mat-sabu-army-bases-built-to-secure-politicians-positions/~/media/1bff6e7e1c2e46f1899fc0d31d6fccfe.ashx?h=351&&w=250
Mohamed Arshad: Those involved in land swap scandal should be punished severely.
NGO National Patriots Association (Patriot) said severe punishment should be meted out to those involved in the Mindef land swap scandal as it dishonoured all the men and women in uniform who served the King and country.
Patriot president Brig-Jen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji said the authorities must immediately freeze the suspects’ bank accounts and bar them from leaving the country.
“If military top brass are involved, even if they have retired, action should be taken against them.
“What happened to the balance of the 40,000ha originally mentioned? As for the 16 cases of land swap discovered so far, was it direct dealing with the persons/companies involved or through a phantom company?
“Who were the politicians and culprits involved? And were there military top brass involved too?” asked Mohamed Arshad.
Mindef will be filing a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on the alleged land swap deals today.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will also visit Mindef for a meet-and-greet session today.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/02/21/land-was-swapped-for-votes-mat-sabu-army-bases-built-to-secure-politicians-positions/#ZVkil8vrbLaXKKTr.99
Popular Posts - Last 7 days
-
‘Alas pintu’ dengan gambar Kaabah sebenarnya sejadah mini - AEON BiG April 13, 2024 Susulan penularan gambar yang mendakwa penjualan ‘alas ...
-
Screenshot of a video shared by the public of the incident at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Arrival Hall 1 on Sunday. SEPANG...
-
MAN DIES AS HIS BMW I7 CRASHES AND BURNS, WOMAN FRIEND SERIOUSLY INJURED A man died while his woman friend was seriously injured when the ca...
-
Mohd Shuhaily said the suspect had two previous records for threats and another record for stealing and impersonating a civil servant. - BER...
-
Coach Maloney and FAM part ways after eight years Bernama Julai 13, 2022 The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has released under fir...
-
SUSPECT HAFIZUL HARAWI IN KLIA SHOOTING FLED IN A WHITE HONDA CITY WXU 5666 from the parking area at Level 2 of Block C, where he parked...
-
The Kota Bharu Magistrate's Court here, today, allowed the suspect suspected of opening fire at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport...
-
Malaysia detects 3,902 new COVID cases, 8 deaths Melissa Fernando ASTRO AWANi Julai 20, 2022 Malaysia detects 3,902 new COVID cases, 8 de...
-
Socso suspends RM423 million PenjanaKerjaya payments Bernama Julai 15, 2022 Socso chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Azi...
Popular Posts - Last 30 days
-
Saudi says application for 1444 H umrah visa opens from today Bernama Julai 14, 2022 The Ministry of Haj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia has ann...
-
Wan Saiful confirms he is no longer PTPTN chairman Bernama Julai 12, 2022 Bersatu Information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan today confirm...
-
Kedah MB: ECK no longer part of Kulim airport project Bernama Julai 13, 2022 Muhammad Sanusi announced that the ECK Group of Companies (EC...
-
King presents appointment letters to four new envoys Bernama Julai 12, 2022 His Majesty presenting the letter of appointment to M'sian...
-
Following is BEST FBKL's selection of The Top Ramadan 2024 Buka Puasa Buffet's in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley. We hope that y...
-
Naz Empire's defamation lawsuit against Awal Ashaari to go to trial as mediation fails Bernama Julai 12, 2022 The defamation lawsuit f...
-
Paris court grants Malaysia's application to suspend claims by purported heirs of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II Bernama Julai 13, 2022 Dr Wa...
-
‘Alas pintu’ dengan gambar Kaabah sebenarnya sejadah mini - AEON BiG April 13, 2024 Susulan penularan gambar yang mendakwa penjualan ‘alas ...
-
Maybank Singapore withdraws lawsuit against NFC chairman, children over housing loans Bernama Julai 12, 2022 Maybank Singapore Limited has...
Blog Archive
-
►
2023
(3771)
- December (311)
- November (322)
- October (286)
- September (288)
- August (365)
- July (349)
- June (372)
- May (316)
- April (279)
- March (301)
- February (245)
- January (337)
-
►
2022
(4309)
- December (352)
- November (422)
- October (288)
- September (281)
- August (347)
- July (303)
- June (335)
- May (406)
- April (341)
- March (371)
- February (390)
- January (473)
-
►
2021
(9030)
- December (636)
- November (647)
- October (809)
- September (797)
- August (880)
- July (894)
- June (747)
- May (780)
- April (580)
- March (629)
- February (643)
- January (988)
-
►
2020
(6800)
- December (819)
- November (698)
- October (832)
- September (729)
- August (548)
- July (558)
- June (615)
- May (394)
- April (368)
- March (453)
- February (439)
- January (347)
-
▼
2019
(4089)
- December (411)
- November (425)
- October (375)
- September (279)
- August (397)
- July (353)
- June (326)
- May (315)
- April (266)
- March (318)
- February (293)
- January (331)
-
►
2018
(4100)
- December (305)
- November (304)
- October (357)
- September (352)
- August (420)
- July (442)
- June (366)
- May (412)
- April (343)
- March (275)
- February (233)
- January (291)
-
►
2017
(3888)
- December (268)
- November (293)
- October (352)
- September (309)
- August (356)
- July (300)
- June (319)
- May (354)
- April (316)
- March (335)
- February (306)
- January (380)
-
►
2016
(4563)
- December (331)
- November (328)
- October (378)
- September (415)
- August (404)
- July (380)
- June (310)
- May (370)
- April (430)
- March (484)
- February (355)
- January (378)
-
►
2015
(4588)
- December (402)
- November (392)
- October (393)
- September (375)
- August (450)
- July (392)
- June (456)
- May (407)
- April (408)
- March (374)
- February (262)
- January (277)