Malaysia’s ex-navy chief gets discharge not amounting to acquittal on charges linked to littoral combat ship scandal
Ahmad Ramli Nor, the former managing director of Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd, was accused of authorising payments of more than RM21 million (US$4.74 million) to three companies without the board of directors’ approval between 2010 and 2011.
A littoral combat ship under construction at the Boustead naval shipyard in Lumut, Perak. (File Photo: Facebook/Hishammuddin Hussein)
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s former navy chief Ahmad Ramli Nor was on Wednesday (Mar 12) granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for his alleged role in the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal.
“After considering submissions from both parties and the Kuala Lumpur Hospital’s medical report on the accused’s medical capacity, the court finds that he is unfit for trial,” said Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin, as quoted by news outlet Free Malaysia Today.
The scandal refers to a RM9.14 billion (US$2.06 billion) contract to construct six ships awarded by the Ministry of Defence to Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd through direct negotiation. The contract was reportedly awarded in 2011 and took effect in October 2013.
The Malaysian government paid RM6.08 billion or two-thirds of the cost and five of the ships should have been handed over to the navy by August 2022, but none has been delivered.
Ramli, 80, was commander of the Malaysian Royal Navy from 1996 to 1998 and is also the former managing director of Boustead Naval Shipyard.
He was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust in August 2022 and .
He allegedly authorised payments totalling more than RM21.08 million to three Singapore-based companies without the approval of Boustead’s board of directors between 2010 and 2011.
On the first charge, he allegedly approved a payment of more than RM13.5 million to Singapore’s Setaria Holding Limited between Jul 26, 2010 and Mar 25, 2011.
On the second charge, he allegedly approved a transfer of about RM1.4 million to JSD Corporation Pte Ltd between Apr 19, 2011 and May 4, 2011.
He is accused of another similar offence in a payment involving nearly RM6.2 million to Sousmarin Armada Ltd between Oct 28, 2010 and Nov 22, 2010.
On Wednesday, deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat informed the Sessions Court that the Attorney General’s Chambers had rejected Ramli’s representation letter dated Jan 10 and that the prosecution was prepared to proceed with the trial.
Defence lawyer Yusof Zainal Abiden argued that Ramli was unable to defend himself due to his health condition and requested the court grant a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, Free Malaysia Today reported.
In a supporting affidavit in July last year, Ramli’s daughter Rinnie Nor Ahmad Ramli claimed her father had been diagnosed with progressive neurodegenerative disorder, a condition similar to moderate mixed dementia.
The High Court referred the case to the Sessions Court for the trial judge to evaluate Ramli’s mental fitness, and judge Suzanna instructed him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at Kuala Lumpur Hospital.
Besides granting the discharge not amounting to an acquittal, judge Suzana said Ramli’s bail money would be returned.
In October 2023, Parliament’s public accounts committee said in a declassified report that the six LCS had been reduced to five, and they would only be handed over to the Royal Malaysian Navy in 2029.
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said their construction was 73 per cent complete, with the first ship scheduled to be handed over in August 2026, reported Free Malaysia Today.
The ships are set to cost RM 11 billion.
