The STAR on Wednesday 7 May 2008 reported that "Najib said in the case of the Sukhoi jet, the Russian Government had the right to appoint the agent." The Star said that "the purchase ... was done according to proper Government procedure." The company that was involved Perimeker Sdn Bhd is a joint venture between LTAT, Boustead Holdings (a GLC) and one KS Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd, and another agent - IMT Defence Sdn Bhd - a company controlled by former CM of Malacca - Adib Adam - earned a commission of RM380 million - with regards to the Sukhoi jets.
The price quoted by the STAR for the Sukhoi jets is RM3.2 billion. A commission of RM380 million represents a staggering 11.8% commission. Now lets assume that the Government paid the Russians RM3.2 billion, from this they would have had to deduct 11.8% to pay the commission, leaving a net amount of RM2.82 billion.
The Indian Air Force purchased 40 Sukhoi jets from Russia in 2007 for US$40 million, approximately US$1M per jet. (A US$ 40 M price tag is equal to RM140M at a 3.5 exchange rate).
The RM2.82 billion could have bought us 800 Sukhoi jets. Yet according to Aljazera in Oct 2007 - Malaysia bought 40 Sukhoi jets.
Part of the RM3.2 billion deal - space tourist - which would have cost the Government - US$40 Million.
Assuming that sum was included (because there is no free lunch) the balance available for the jets comes down to RM2.68 billion. That is still about 766 jets. But we bought 40 jets.
OK now this is really interesting - if we bought 40 jets and India bought 40 jets how come we are paying US$19.1 Million per jet, compared to India who is paying US$1 million per jet?
The difference is 190% - which is impossible to account as being for spares, training, housing, etc etc (all the support services when getting a new product).
So lets assume that the jets cost RMAF US$5 million each including spares, training etc etc. That results in a total of US$200M (about RM750M). So if this is the case what happened to the balance of RM2.75 billion - where did it go, who got it?
If it was by the vendor it made a huge profit and Malaysia has just wasted tax payers money to enrich the Russian Government owned company (Federal State Unitary Enterprise 'Rosoboronexport') that sold us the jets.
Even if we were to double the price to US$10M per jet the total bill is only US$400M (RM1.3Billion), that leaves a balance of RM1.9 billion that is hard to account for.
What is needed is to follow the money in Russia as this would show us what the money was used for.
This point should be asked of the Defence Minister to answer on behalf of the RMAF who bought this (because surely it cannot be expected that the Rt. Hon. Defence Minister would have been intimately involved in commercial negotiations?)
Our MPs must ask this of him, now before the issue slides into oblivion.
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