Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua today took up Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's offer to meet, in order to get a clearer picture as to why billions are being paid for defence acquisitions this year.

In a statement issued today, Pua said that Ahmad Zahid will, however, need to explain all the RM16.6 billion purchases and not just the RM9 billion for the second generation patrol vessels.

"Pakatan MPs, including (PKR MP for Lembah Pantai) Nurul Izzah Anwar and (PAS MP for Kuala Selangor) Dzulkefly Ahmad are more than willing to take up the offer.

"However, he should not only provide clarification (on the patrol vessels) but also the other mega-acquisition of 257 armoured personnel vehicles (APVs) costing RM7.55 billion this year," said the DAP publicity chief.

tony pua ukec student summit Yesterday, Ahmad Zahid had invited Pua ( left) and Kita president Zaid Ibrahim to meet him so he can answer the duo's queries over the patrol vessles, also known as littoral combat ships (LCS).

He, however, questioned where Pua got the information that the price of the six vessels had gone up from RM6 billion to RM9 billion.

Ahmad Zahid then agitatedly asked if Pua was fed information from Suaram activist Kua Kia Soong.

' Stop listening to Papagomo'

"Instead of providing open explanation to the public, Ahmad Zahid had mocked me...If he had bothered reading my statements, I've stated clearly the figures came form the announcents made by Boustead as well as 'authoritative' answers made by himself in Parliament.

"The minister will perhaps do well to stop relying on (pro-BN blogger) Papagomo as his chief intelligence advisor, who has to date provided the former with only half-truths and fictitious data," he said.

Boustead Holdings Bhd announced to Bursa Malaysia that its subsidiary Boustead Naval Shipyard had received a letter of award from the Defence Ministry to "design, construct, equip, install, commission, integrate, test and trials, and deliver six LCS" for a ceiling price of RM9 billion.

The minister had in Parliament in February said the price of the war ships is an astounding RM6 billion as it is equiped with state-of-the-art technology.

Ahmad Zahid Umno VP Pua also took potshots at Ahmad Zahid's ( right ) claim yesterday that he is offering to meet the politicians in the interest of transparency and to inform the rakyat.

"Given his assurance that his ministry is open to transparency, why is the government unwilling to set up a Parliament Oversight Committee to review and monitor defence expenditure?

"If the ministry is not even willing to subject itself to oversight by Parliament, the country's highest legislative body, then Ahmad Zahid has no right to talk about transparency," he said.