KUALA LUMPUR – The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim has instructed the Defence Ministry to cancel its proposal to purchase used Black Hawk helicopters, which are over 30 years old.
Sultan Ibrahim, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), further warned the ministry not to repeat past mistakes in military acquisitions.
“Do not repeat the mistakes of the past when we bought second-hand SkyHawk aircraft. Do you want to put our pilots in a ‘flying coffin’? Think for yourself,” he said.
His Majesty expressed concern that such issues arose due to the presence of “agents” or former generals within the Ministry of Defence, who act as “salesmen,” with some even venturing into selling drones, including textile companies.
“If all purchases go through intermediaries, then the available budget will not be sufficient. So, don’t try to deceive me. If you do not want to heed my advice, I will no longer offer my counsel,” Sultan Ibrahim remarked.
The royal address came during the Royal Address in conjunction with the 60th Anniversary Parade of the Special Warfare Regiment at Kem Iskandar in Mersing today.
Sultan Ibrahim also emphasised that purchasing irrelevant or excessively expensive assets not only wastes resources but also misuses the national budget.
“Do not waste time buying ridiculous items that do not meet the army’s needs. If you are unsure about the price, ask me first,” he urged, reminding that he also holds the position of Colonel Commander of the Special Forces Group (GGK).
The Agong recalled a previous reprimand from five years ago regarding the purchase of Rigid Riding Craft (RRC) boats for the commandos, which cost RM5 million, while more suitable boats could have been obtained for under RM2 million.
“Recently, I found out there are plans to buy similar boats, only slightly larger, for nearly RM10 million. This is unreasonable and must be properly reviewed,” Sultan Ibrahim added.
“Beyond price, the quality of the items being purchased should be the priority. What happened to the combat diving pool at this camp, which was supposed to be completed in 2022 but is still not in use?” he said. – August 16, 2025