Government urged to review contract for supply of military equipment from France

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is advised to review all contracts for the supply of military equipment from France.

Former Member of the Board of Directors, The Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT), Akhramsyah M U Sanusi is of the opinion that the action is feared to endanger the country if the country's partner continue to practise anti-Islam.

"I recommend the Malaysian government re-evaluate the entire military relationship, especially the supply of equipment from France, be it any existing dependence on Scorpene submarines, Frigate ships, Airbus A400M aircraft or any plans for the future, anything related to France should be at least postponed if not cancelled altogether.

"Because indeed, it is not only strange but dangerous if a majority and Islamic-led country like Malaysia can continue to believe in the sincerity of military partners from countries led by an anti-Muslim like the current French President Emmanuel Macron," he said in a statement on Saturday.

Akhramsyah said it was even more disturbing when there seemed to be no clear action by the government to respond to the suspicion that arose when the French government has been so anti-Islamic.

He said this should lead to a greater awareness of the risks posed by too many critical national defence equipment supplied and still maintained by French companies.

"France not only supplied Scorpene submarines to Malaysia, but all KD Maharaja Lela class Frigate ships were supplied with technology by French companies and are still supported in their maintenance by the country's suppliers.

"In fact, it has been the main source of criticism that the manufacture of these ships by Boustead Holdings' subsidiaries owned by the majority of the Armed Forces Fund Board is too lacking in its technology sharing element.

"This means that the Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) still has to rely on French expert assistance.

"The French military supply is not limited to the TLDM alone. For example, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) still uses the Airbus A400M aircraft supplied by Airbus Defence and Space company of which France is the largest shareholder (11.1 per cent).

"It is understood that even the planes are still maintained by Airbus' subsidiaries in Malaysia and it should be very worrying when our country's military equipment still depends on its worthiness to consultants from a country whose president is willing to present himself as anti-Islam," he said.

The media previously reported that a French school teacher, Samuel Paty, was brutally murdered when he was beheaded by a Russian man of Chechen descent on October 16.

The teacher involved had earlier showed a caricature allegedly of the Prophet Muhammad SAW that caused 12 people to be killed in an attack on Charlie Hebdo's office in 2015.

Macron, however, defended the teacher's actions, leading to massive protests in most Islamic countries.