Tuesday, November 17, 2009

SUBMARINE RESCUE SERVICES – WHY THE DELAY?

I had on March 8, 2009 posted and article titled 'Direct negotiation being blatantly practiced by Defence Ministry despite public resentment', in that I questioned the manner in which the Defence Ministry had proceeded to negotiate directly the award of the Submarine Rescue Services to a construction company (CC) that had in the past been awarded several multi million construction projects with the ministry; reportedly through direct negotiations.

There has been a delay in finalising the award of contract for the submarine rescue services, and I am told that the reason being that there is another bidder that has quoted a much lower contract price than the CC. This alternate bidder is said to be directly involved in the business of submarine rescue operations, unlike the CC that is just an agent for the services.

I am told too that the RMN is not too pleased with the offer made by the CC because the company does not have the experience in offering such services. And being agents, they do not have total control over the services to be rendered by the principal company and furthermore, who in the CC is an expert and an authority in submarine rescue operations. We know that submarine rescue service is a highly specialised and life threatening job and should anything go wrong, I am quite sure the CC will not take on the blame, but will point the finger to the company providing the services. Ask any RMN sub-mariner what all it takes to perform a submarine rescue operations, and beside the RMN, it will only be the company that performs the services, that can provide the answer; not the Directors of the CC.

Being agents, the contract costs will naturally be high i.e. enough to cover the cost paid to the service provider, profits to be earned by the CC and including the silent disbursement of commission to a line of people. And I am quite sure someone in the ministry is also in that line of commission takers. I am told that it is for this very reason that the alternate bidding company is able to offer a contract price that is almost half of what the CC is offering, because they were able to shortened the 'line of commission takers' and the profits may not be so exorbitant.

I am also told that in the award of such 'high profile contracts', it would normally be the civilians in the ministry that calls the shot; not the services. Now, this contract involves lives, and certainly it is beyond the civilians in the ministry to understand what submarine rescue operations is all about. Why not just leave it the professionals i.e. the RMN to decide, and I am quite sure they are capable enough to make a professional decision.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

9 comments:

SysOp said...

Dear Sir,

Yup, you're right.. please leave it to professional to decide what the best on SRS (submarine rescue services) ... Never exchange lives with money and power.

C++
CipanTapirTenuk.blogspot.com

Alpha Tango Six Niner said...

What i don't really understand is....how come all the high-tech services like Sub rescue services, aircraft maintenance, repair n overhaul are done by private company?? I prefer those services to be done by armed forces engineering personnel and not those civies...

Yap said...

Shit another stupid dealing. WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING to our armed forces. The service chief has to put his foot down and not to accept this nonsense.

Legion™ said...

Hello Sir,

I heard a rumor regarding the new submarine's communications problem. Anyway for me to contact you directly to ask you about it?

Mohd Arshad Raji said...

Dear Legion,

You can reach me at my email at arshad.raji43@gmail.com. It will be a pleasure to talk to you. Regards.

Kamal Sanusi said...

Dear Sir

As mentioned earlier by PM (Nov 17, 2:03 PM), I'm too wonder what the hell is going on in our armed forces.

I'll bet with my last dollar, each and every new assets of our armed forces will be "6 feet under" when they are due for routine service/maintenance. Next one would be our KD Altantuya.

This is what happen when our armed forces officers play more golf than hands-on to their actual responsibilities.

RTD Mej

Yap said...

Is the DM sleeping and not knowing the problem. Sub rescue is a highly professional and a complicated job. A huge amount of resources,expertise and experience are required. It is the hands on job of monitoring the sub operation whenever the sub leaves the the base or pen.

It is murdering our submariners ...Come on you Navy blokes, fight this issue otherwise you get peanuts and monkeys.

FMZam said...

Cakaplah apapun tentang sistem persenjataan untuk angkatan tentera kita, yang pasti ialah sang profesional akhirnya tersungkur di kaki sang penipu profesional yang bercogankan kata2 "Work smart not hard". Begitu ramainya askar profesional dalam ATM ini yang kepakaran mereka diperolehi dari pengalaman dan ilmu pengetahuan masing2 sepanjang kerjaya mereka, namun kepakaran seorang individu askar yang profesional dengan mudah dikalahkan oleh sang penipu profesional yang bersatu dalam satu kumpulan. Maksud saya sekumpulan kecil penjenayah yang beroperasi dalam kumpulan yang tersusun rapi boleh menguasai sebilangan besar masyarakat yang memang lazimnya hidup secara individu - the criminals maybe small but organised as a team can terrorise the whole community.

Apalagi sang penipu profesional yang bertopengkan kedudukan dan melakukan jenayah dibawah lindungan kuasa dan undang2 yang mereka gunakan sebagai kekuatan utama untuk "Work smart not hard".

Seorang askar yang profesional yang bangga dengan keprofesionalimanya berkumpul sesama mereka dan berdialog dengan masing2 mengeluarkan hujah untuk menentukan siapa yang lebih profesional bagi menentukan keputusan yang bakal dibuat. Profesionalisma mereka hanya setakat itu sahaja. Manakala sang penipu profesional yang tidak perlu membuang masa berdebat bersama askar2 profesional itu, merekalah yang melakukan kerja2 penyudah di belakang tabir "at their whim and fancy".

Yang membuat kerja2 keldai adalah askar2 profesional; menyediakan spesifikasi tender, spesifikasi sistem, senarai SOC (statement of compliance), senarai2 semak penilaian kertas dan penilaian fizikal, dokumen2 tender. Untuk persediaan ini sahaja pun sang penipu profesional sudah boleh memanipulasi keperluan yang menjurus kepada sistem yang mereka mahu dispesifikasikan samada dengan "cara halus" atau dengan "cara kasar".

Yang membuat kerja2 "Work smart not hard" ialah macai2 penipu profesional yang diselitkan dalam Paper Evaluation Team, Physical Evaluation Team, Tender Evaluation Team, Tender Evaluation Report dan the great Tender Board.

Siapa kepala penipu profesional itu kalau bukan seorang yang paling berkuasa dan berpengaruh yang boleh "memeranjatkan" askar2 yang profesional dengan keputusan yang kontroversi.

Sudah berapa ribu kali keputusan2 yang bertentangan dengan logik askar2 yang profesional menjadi keputusan yang diluluskan?

So negara kita sekarang, dari kedudukan 47 tahun lepas sudah merudum ke tangga 56 senarai negara rasuah dalam tempuh 7 bulan Najib menjadi PM. Itulakah prestasi NKRA yang dipaparkan oleh pemimpin yang melaungkan "combatting corruption"? Dengan jeneral2 'kepala taik' yang ada dalam Tentera Darat sekarang ini yang matlamat perjuangan mereka ialah " memperkasakan rasuah", mereka akan bersilih ganti dan berlumba untuk mewarisi 'taik' yang kalau tidak dapat dimakan, tetap akan dicium, kalau dah dasar anjing!

eli said...

The RMN has to remain firm on its operational requirement. No messing around. Otherwise, DISASTER awaits.