LUMUT (May 2): Arms purchases by the Royal Malaysian Navy in the 1980s were carried out through open tenders but this changed in 2000, said retired First Admiral Mohd Imran Abdul Hamid.

Mohd Imran, who is the PKR candidate for the Lumut parliamentary seat, was involved in arms procurement while serving in the navy in the 1980s. He related that during the exercise, international defence firms would place their bids, and the government would assess these companies before buying the most suitable arms for the navy.

"For instance, when we wanted to buy helicopters, we chose one out of five types of helicopters. What we bought was not so cheap and not so expensive, but the most suitable type, such as the Superlynx helicopter, which suits our operations and the size of our ships," he told fz.com in an interview at his house here.

However, he claimed, since 2000, arms procurements are done through direct negotiations, with the prices of the items being set by the suppliers.

He cited the example of the Scorpene submarine that was purchased through direct negotiation from the French defence firm DCNS. The price was decided by the company, as the government could not assess the bid offered by other firms from Germany or Sweden, which also manufacture submarines.

In the past, Mohd Imran said, the procurement only involved two sides - the purchaser and the provider. Even if there was a commission paid, it was paid only to the company.

"But if we look at the Scorpene deal, it involves three sides - Perimekar Sdn Bhd, DCNS and the Malaysian government. We don't know what the job scope of Perimekar is," he said.

Perimekar Sdn Bhd, a company controlled by former political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, was said to have received RM540 million or 114 million euros for its "support services" for the submarine deal. Abdul Razak is said to be a close associate of the then defence minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Mohd Imran also said that any procurement should be done after consulting the navy, which has the professional expertise to decide on what equipment is needed.

"If we take over the government, we will make sure all this will be reviewed. It has been proven that the open tender system is the best prevention for corruption," Mohd Imran added.

As a retired navy officer, he wants to safeguard the welfare of other navy officers, he said.

"We all in the navy knew there are leakages and corruption in the Defence Ministry. If I am elected, we will have a voice. I will raise this issue in the parliament, to stop the practices that inflict losses on the people," he said.

Citing the purchase of 211 armoured personnel carriers in 2000 as an example, Mohd Imran questioned why it was a few times more expensive to buy them through a local company than directly from the manufacturer in Turkey.

The former chief of logistics staff of the Lumut naval base is also a religious man. He is the leader of a Marhaban group that performs religious songs in Lumut and around the country.

Mohd Imran smiled and said that he is quite popular because of this, and perhaps the popularity in the area and his friendliness could win him some votes in this election.

Sharing his thoughts about his dreams, Mohd Imran said that he wants to make sure every household in his contituency has modern toilets.

Although apparently a mundane matter, to Mohd Imran this is important for ensuring public health and hygiene.

"I don't want to bring big things. I just want to ensure that every household has a modern toilet, one squatting and one sitting toilet for the elder people," Mohd Imran said.

On a visit to a house in Pengkalan Bahru, Mohd Imran said he was shocked to see that the family was still using a rudimentary type of toilet consisting of a hole that was dug in the ground, with two planks placed over the top, "like the toilets that were in use during the 1960s."

"Do you believe we can be a developed country in 2020, when people still use toilets like this?" he asked.

Also, he pointed out that the infrastructure in the rural areas must be of the same standard as that in the cities, such as well-lit roads that are in good condition.

Mohd Imran said it is important for development to be decentralised, so that all parliamentary seats can have the same kind of development. Growth should not be focused only in the city areas, he said.

He pointed out that many accidents occurred because the roads are dark and have potholes. Mohd Imran relates to the problem on a very personal level because of a family tragedy: he had lost four daughters in a serious car crash in Gerik eight years ago.

Discussing the issues that concern the electorate of Lumut, Mohd Imran said there are many foreign workers here who have taken up jobs in the Vale iron ore distribution project that is being carried out in the area. As a result, he said, the local people have not benefited from this mega project.