KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, has directed the Defence Ministry to scrap plans to acquire ageing Black Hawk helicopters, warning against repeating past procurement mistakes that could jeopardise the safety of Malaysian Armed Forces personnel.
Speaking at the 60th Anniversary Parade of the Rejimen Gerak Khas at Kem Iskandar in Mersing, Johor today, the King, as Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces, said the proposed helicopters were over 30 years old and unsuitable for service.
“Do not repeat the mistake we made when we bought second-hand SkyHawk aircraft.
“Do we want to put our pilots in a ‘flying coffin’? Think about it yourselves,” Sultan Ibrahim said, according to a post on his official
Facebook page.
He also criticised the influence of middlemen and former generals in defence procurement.
“I believe this happens because the Defence Ministry is full of ‘agents’ or former generals who act as salesmen, and even some cloth-selling companies try to sell drones,” he added.
Sultan Ibrahim stressed the importance of proper budgeting and warned against misleading claims in defence deals.
“If every purchase is done through middlemen, the allocated funds will never be enough.
“So do not try to mislead me.
“If you refuse to heed my advice, I will not intervene next time,” he said.
The royal directive highlights the King’s insistence on accountability, cost-effectiveness, and the safety of military personnel in defence procurement.
