LCS ‘better than nothing’ despite prolonged delays, say experts

The controversial littoral combat ship (LCS) project will still provide the navy with important and relevant assets despite repeated delays in the ships’ handover, say defence analysts.

While some quarters have suggested that the ships may be outdated by the time of delivery, defence analysts Lam Choong Wah and Salawati Mat Basir maintained that the LCS would still significantly enhance the Malaysian navy’s capabilities.

Lam, of Universiti Malaya, acknowledged that the ships’ management systems, situational awareness tools and weapons platforms may be lagging technologically by the time operations commence.

“However, by definition, this is not a ‘white elephant’ project that delivers nothing,” he said, adding that the LCS would still enhance our navy’s capability significantly.

“So, it is still better than nothing,” he told FMT.

Salawati, a maritime affairs expert with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said the LCS project was still critically needed by the navy. “Yes, it’s backwards to some extent, but we don’t have a choice.”

The LCS project, which had an original cost of RM9 billion, is said to be the largest defence procurement in Malaysia’s history. Delays and cost overruns have seen the cost balloon to RM11.22 billion, even as the number of vessels to be delivered has been cut from six to five.

The auditor-general’s report released on Oct 5 said the first LCS ship (LCS 1) might not be fully operational until December 2035, although defence minister Khaled Nordin disputed the projection.

The audit also found that, as of June 25, the overall LCS project was 7.55% behind schedule across all five ships, with delays ranging from 30 to 108 days.

‘We need an RCI’

Lam added to calls for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to investigate the troubled project, saying there were many sensitive documents that even the Public Accounts Committee could not access.

“Moreover, an RCI can recommend policy reform and pinpoint culprits,” he said.

Moving forward, he said, Malaysia’s defence procurement must be conducted with greater transparency and oversight, two elements that have been sorely absent for decades.

Lam said the issues that surfaced with the LCS were not an anomaly but a norm. While some may argue that defence procurements demand secrecy due to their sensitive nature, he said other nations have prioritised reforms for greater transparency and accountability.

Lam said a first step towards transparency would be listing out major defence procurements in the annual federal budget, while all procurements above RM100 million should automatically be placed under parliamentary oversight.

“Continuous oversight by the PAC, auditor-general and parliamentary committee on security must be automatically imposed on any defence procurement above RM100 million,” he said.

Salawati said the recurring issues in defence purchases were linked to the common practice of direct negotiations in the name of national security, allowing rigorous public and parliamentary scrutiny to be bypassed.

She called for a cross-service, cross-ministry procurement committee to oversee defence asset purchases, saying such a mechanism would ensure decisions were not left in the hands of a single individual.

“There should also be international open tenders, so that no one can take a cut from contracts,” she said.

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