OUR THIRD SUBMARINE STIRS UP MUDDY WATERS
How much did the Malaysian taxpayer pay for the Agosta-class submarine? When was it purchased and when was it decided to hand it over to Ali Rustam?
Why has there been no mention of the Ouessant until we hear that it will be made into part of Malacca’s maritime museum? Gaining ownership of the Ouessant is akin to learning to drive in a 20-year-old Proton Saga, then buying the car for RM200,000 only to use it as a reban ayam (chicken coop).
Mariam Mokhtar, Free Malaysia Today
When the Malaysian government signed a deal in 2002 with the joint naval builders, DCNS of France and Navantia of Spain, to commission two Scorpene-class submarines, it did not realise that the purchases would create an international scandal.
The controversy surrounding the Scorpene-class submarines refuses to sink into oblivion. Now, attention is focused on the little known Agosta-class submarine, the Ouessant (S623), which was completed in 1978 and served the French navy until she was decommissioned in 2001. It appears Malaysia also owns the Ouessant.
A few readers may recall very sketchy details about a third submarine which was used to train the Malaysian submariners. That was the Agosta-class Ouessant, which the “Asia Sentinel” described in its reporting on the Scorpene scandal as a “retired submarine manufactured by a joint venture between DCN and Spanish company Agosta”.
Opposition politicians have bombarded Umno with questions about the submarine deal but have been thwarted by unintelligent and conflicting answers from the Defence Ministry.
Now, the curious case of the Agosta-class submarine, the Ouessant (S623), is only just surfacing.
“The Asia Sentinel” stated in April 2010 that this third ageing submarine was leased for training purposes.
However, we are now told that the Malaysian Navy has bought the Ouessant, the Agosta-class submarine.
If so when? And, for how much?
Why has there been no mention of the Ouessant until we hear that it will be made into part of Malacca’s maritime museum? Gaining ownership of the Ouessant is akin to learning to drive in a 20-year-old Proton Saga, then buying the car for RM200,000 only to use it as a reban ayam (chicken coop).
So, was the Agosta thrown in as as sweetener for the purchase of the two Scorpenes? Did the French try to appease the Malaysians because one of the Scorpenes was faulty?
Malaysians first read of the Agosta-class submarine in a rather obscure report by Bernama on April 22, 2011, when the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief Admiral Abdul Aziz Jaafar said that the Ouessant was unsuitable for naval operations but would be converted into a museum piece to show the progress made by the RMN.
Abdul Aziz said, “We are expecting its arrival in August. There will be a signing ceremony between the Defence Ministry secretary-general and the French side before it is handed over to us.
“It is a second-hand submarine we bought for training RMN personnel. Now that its services are no longer needed, it will be brought to the Lumut naval base in August”.
RM12.6 million museum project
Abdul Aziz explained that the Ouessant had been used as a training submarine for the submariners of the two Scorpene-class submarines KD Tunku Abdul Rahman and KD Tun Abdul Razak, which were commissioned in 2009 and 2010.
RM12.6 million museum project
Abdul Aziz explained that the Ouessant had been used as a training submarine for the submariners of the two Scorpene-class submarines KD Tunku Abdul Rahman and KD Tun Abdul Razak, which were commissioned in 2009 and 2010.
Then on the Sept 23, the Malaysian Ambassador to France, Abdul Aziz Zainal and the Director of International Development in the French Defence Ministry Yves Blanc, signed the documents for the transfer of ownership of the Ouessant.
The submarine was then transported on a floating dock to Malaysia in early October in an operation organised by Felda Transport. After being at sea for 32 days, the Ouessant arrived off the Malacca coast.
Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam said that the submarine would be transported to the exhibition site at the 1Malaysia Square, Klebang.
During the site visit, Ali explained that the Malacca government had been given custody of the French-made Ouessant. The submarine museum project, he said, had cost RM12.6 million and would attract more tourists to Malacca.
4 comments:
Sebenarnya tak ada isu pon, saja je puak-puak bangang tu nak sensasikannya. Kita ni kena faham dengan masalah Pakatan Pembangkang, bagi mereka semua yang kerajaan buat serba tak betul, yang betul apa yang mereka buat saja. Sebagai pemerhati aku rasa dah sampai masanya TLDM buat kenyataan dan mengingatkan blogger ni agar jangan biadap dan assume tahu serba serbi, seolah-olah mereka dah buat kajian lengkap pasal kapal selam ni.
Nasihat akulah, jangan dok layan sangat puak-puak pembangkang yang bangang ni.
FAKTA-FAKTA YANG PERLU DIKETAHUI MENGENAI KAPAL SELAM AGOSTA
1. Kapal selam Kelas Agosta adalah merupakan kapal selam untuk tujuan latihan yang termasuk di dalam pakej pembelian dua buah Kelas Scorpene yang pada waktu itu masih dalam pembinaan. Kapal selam tersebut adalah hak milik kerajaan Malaysia sepenuhnya. Tiada kos tambahan dibayar oleh kerajaan Malaysia seperti yang diperkatakan oleh Malaysia Today. Adalah menjadi tanggungjawab pihak DCNS untuk menyediakan platform latihan bagi tujuan latihan sehingga kapal selama Scorpene siap sepenuhnya.
2. Setelah kapal selam Scorpene siap dibina, kapal selam Agosta tidak lagi digunakan untuk latihan kerana kos pengoperasian adalah terlalu tinggi memandangkan kapal tersebut yang telah agak berumur.
4. Kerajaan Malaysia pada awalnya tidak bercadang membawa balik kapal selam Agosta tersebut memandangkan ianya tidak akan digunakan untuk latihan ataupun tugas operasi setelah mengambil kira kos yang akan ditanggung. Namun setelah mengambil kira dari segala aspek, adalah lebih baik kapal selam tersebut dibawa balik ke Malaysia dan diletakkan di Muzium Negeri Melaka untuk tatapan umum dan juga sebagai ‘familiarisation training platform’. Ini adalah penting bagi memberi peluang kepada rakyat Malaysia mengenai penubuhan Skuadron Kapal Selam dan juga sebagai lambang kekuatan ketenteraan sesebuah Negara.
Flying Dutchman
Artikal malaysia today tu semuanya HAPRAQ. Karut, mengarut dan mengarutkan.Semuanya nak jadi modal utk dipolitikan,orang macam ni (yang menulis)kena bawa masuk BARACUDDA kemudian diletak atas gunung KRAKATUA dan tunggu gunung tu meletup....
Kalau dah buat tak betul mengaku sajalah. Seandainya pihak TLDM berpendapat isu Agusta merupakan satu fitnah, adalah lebih baik pihak TLDM buat penjelasan sebenar. Kenapa TLDM yang tak ada beban sengaja nak ambil batu untuk digalas.
Post a Comment