Pakatan Rakyat leaders wants to know the progress and outcome of the Anti-Corruption Agency’s investigations into the Eurocopter deal by Nov 24.

This comes after the agency’s director-general Ahmad Said Hamdan had told reporters on Saturday that it had started a probe into the matter.

pkr weekly meeting 190707 shamsul iskandar PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohamad Akin (left) said he welcomed Ahmad Said’s statement and that he hoped the agency would get to the bottom of the deal.

“Pakatan Rakyat hopes to meet with Ahmad Said and the agency’s director of investigations, Shukri Abdul, within a month, after having lodging the report on Oct 24,” Shamsul Iskandar said when contacted today.

“As first complainants to the ACA in the matter, we have the right to know the progress of its investigations into the whole affair.”

Complainants are allowed to meet regularly with the agency to find the progress of investigations into their complaints, if this does not jeopardise the probe.

Shamsul Iskandar said this is important to ensure that the ACA is acting transparently, as pledged by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

helicopter military eurocopter cougor ec 725 troop transporter Pakatan Youth leaders had also submitted a copy of the letter by Mentari Services Sdn Bhd chairperson Capt (rtd) Zahar Hashim dated Oct 7, questioning the decision to buy the helicopters.

In it, Zahar suggested that the tender process, initiated during Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s tenure as defence minister, could have been a “gimmick” since the ministry appeared to favour one company.

Zahar accused Najib of having provided Abdullah with an “inaccurate” report pertaining to the contract. Abdullah took over the defence portfolio on Sept 17.

‘Documents received’

Shamsul Iskandar echoed DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang’s call for the ACA to call in Najib to respond to the issues raised.

On Oct 24, Shamsul Iskandar along with Sapky Yusof of PAS Youth and Anthony Loke of DAP Youth had lodged a report with the agency.

aca bpr anti corruption agency 271107 Ahmad Said had on Saturday said the ACA has received documents and important information from the Parliamentary Accounts Committee and that an investigation paper had just been opened.

“Investigations will cover all aspects, whether there was any fault in the procedure and also other aspects including elements of corruption,” he said.

On Oct 28, Abdullah had announced the postponement of the purchase of the 12 helicopters worth RM1.6 billion until the economy is stable.