KUALA LUMPUR: The leasing of 28 helicopters for various national security agencies was conducted in an orderly manner based on necessity, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said today.
Mohamed Khaled said he had spelt out the advantages of this approach when winding up the Budget 2025 debate (Policy Stage), and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also addressed the matter during Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Nov 28, 2024.
“However, I will elaborate and respond to this matter again during my ministry’s winding-up session for this debate, scheduled for Feb 20,“ he said in a statement today.
Yesterday, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, while debating the motion of thanks for the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat, demanded an explanation from the government regarding the leasing of 28 helicopters for a 15-year period under a RM16 billion contract for national security forces.
Previously, during his winding-up speech on the 2025 Supply Bill, Mohamed Khaled stated that the government would lease 28 helicopters under a RM16 billion contract for 15 years.
According to him, the lease arrangement covers several agencies, including the Malaysian Armed Forces, with 12 helicopters allocated to the Royal Malaysian Air Force; seven to the Royal Malaysia Police; two to the Royal Malaysian Navy; two to the Fire and Rescue Department; and four to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.
